A New Kind Of Madness
by LuckySoulStarEater
Summary: After Asura was defeated, the world calmed down for some time. When a terrifyingly powerful, mysterious force takes over and causes complete chaos, it's up to DWMA and other fighters to reclaim the world. Rated T for violence and stuff. I do not own Soul Eater.
1. Chapter 1

The broken up wooden room they were in was a dark brown color, no furniture, but some paintings were hung up of flowers in which the white canvas had faded to gray. The floor boards cracked and splintered upwards, spearing forward. The cabin shook as if it were dancing. Death the Kid and Soul had ended up there after what? They didn't know how they ended up there. The world was a mess. It was in utter chaos. It had been a few weeks... no... months since everything went wrong.

DWMA had remained strong in the beginning. After Asura was destroyed, things went back to normal for a little while. Maka Albarn and Soul Eater Evans had a 'happy ending' with Soul becoming a Death Scythe. Maka had decided to travel around the world with her mother. Blackstar and Tsubaki had a 'happy ending' as well. The two had learned how to 'fly' and such. Death the Kid, Elizabeth Thompson, and Patricia Thompson had a 'happy ending' too. Patty and Liz didn't have to deal with Kid freaking out all the time, since his OCD was far better from what it had been earlier that year. Death the Kid's relationship with his father also improved, and they spent more time with each other without the terrible friction they had for so long. The only problem with the friends and their success was that they now spent less time wit each others' group. Crona spent more time with Maka, while Soul was in a way a third wheel. So even though everyone had their good fortunes, they began drifting apart.

So what went wrong? The world itself perhaps. It was maybe a month or two since the end of the kishin and little issues had appeared. It was random, out of the blue, the earth quake hit and that was all. It had been the worst out of the string of tiny trembles America had experienced that past month. No one took the quakes seriously, since it wasn't severe. It was when that big earth quake happened people took action to figure out the cause.

It had been a while since Lord Death called anyone to the death room. He heard how people were growing worried about the earth quakes so he sent some of his better meister weapon pairs out to make sure it wasn't some sort of kishin or whatever causing the reoccurring events. The pairs he sent out couldn't find anything and the quakes got worse.

"Hey! It's been a while." Blackstar shouted as he saw Soul and Maka walking through the streets.

"Have you missed the biggest star there is?"

"Oh, Blackstar, how have you been?" Soul asked.

"Fine." Blackstar replied. "What about you?"

"Maka and I have been hanging out with Crona a lot. We recently went on a mission, no problem, but there have been less missions ever since Asura."

"Crona's opened up a lot and she's doing fine." Maka stated. "Even Ragnarok is somewhat better... as in nicer."

"Sounds great." Tsubaki walked up behind Blackstar and asked "We haven't really talked much to each other, Maka. I miss you."

"When duty calls, Soul and I've got to go." Maka said, saluting with a hand to her head.

"Maybe we can hang out later." Blackstar suggested. "I bet I'll beat you down further underground, Soul. No one can beat the mighty Blackstar!"

"It's a deal." Soul agreed. "Maybe we can see if Kid want to come."

"If only we knew where he and the girls are." Maka sighed.

"Soul, you wanna go find him?!" Blackstar jumped and grabbed the white haired boy's shoulders. "You and me! Whoever find him first wins!"

"You got it!"

The boys were off, leaving the girls in the dust. "We could check his house." Tsubaki giggled "That's probably the last place they'll check."

"Alright!"

And like that, the girls went to find the other set of friends they hadn't seen for a while.

That was a day none of them will ever forget. As they ran along, having fun, another earthquake happened. The worst the entire world likely ever experienced in this generations history. The fun they were having didn't distract them from the horror beneath their feet. It was the loudest sound they had ever heard before in their entire life. Everyone froze in their tracks from shock.

"What is that?" Maka asked. She knew it was an earthquake, but it felt like so much more.

"Look!" Tsubaki pointed out a set of TV's in a store window, the screens displaying a news station.

**Nation Wide Alert; A giant earthquake has occurred North America has broken away from Mexico. Death tolls on the rise.**

"This can't be good." Maka trembled, unlike usual, she was terrified.


	2. Chapter 2

The mansion floor shook violently. What was causing this? Liz and Patty had been talking all afternoon, enjoying each others company and doing girly things (as girly as things could get with those two) when suddenly the ground shook. They could hear the noise from whatever it was and they watched in horror as a few paintings fell in the hall.

"Kid!" the girls screamed simultaneously.

The black haired boy ran down the steps in his usual outfit. Unlike his usual self, he was panicked. It wasn't long until he noticed the fallen paintings and he looked like he was about to throw a fit.

The floor stopped shaking and the three looked at each other with worried expressions. Patty got over it and laughed, getting on her knees and patting the floor shouting "Do it again! Do it again!" while her sister looked back and forth from her panicked meister to the paintings on the ground.

"I'm going to visit father." Kid said, walking to the front doors.

"That was the worst earthquake I've felt all year." Liz glanced back to Kid. "You go. Patty and I can fix the paintings."

"Thank you girls." and the young grim reaper was off.

Maka and Tsubaki talked as they continued their way to Kid's house. Although they were shaken, they didn't have many places to actually head to.

"So, Maka, I thought you were traveling with your mother. Didn't Crona come along with you?"

"Yeah, Crona did. I was traveling for some time but Crona and I came back a week and a half ago because I felt like Soul and I could use some more practice, even though we've already progressed so far."

"You can never learn too much." Tsubaki sighed. "Where would Crona be now?"

"She's at my house. I would like to go check and make sure she's okay but... I can do that later."

"You worry about her so much. I do too, but I think with every day Crona gets stronger, she's able to take more things."

"She doesn't go into Mr. Corner that often." Maka laughed "That's definitely improvement."

"I hope everyone's okay."

"Me too, Tsubaki."

Kid came into the death room, walking up to his father.

"Father," Kid started, all seriousness. "That was more than an earthquake what we felt back at the mansion."

"I know. It isn't everyday a country splits in two." his father's voice came out in the usual sing-song tone the god used with his students. Kid was clearly unamused. "Many people are dead. We still haven't figured out the exact cause."

"I know you're unaware of a cause, father." The tone Kid was using worried Lord Death. He hoped the relationship his son and he had established after Asura's demise would be strong enough to carry them through this tough situation. "Father, do you have any idea of what's going on? Any fatherly intuition? Godly intuition? Some sort of idea of what may be causing this?"

"Perhaps it's continental drift." his father suggested. "I don't know. Calm down, Kid. You're acting cold."

Death the Kid instantly silenced himself, staring down at the floor. His father was no longer afraid to tell his son if Kid was being too serious or coming off rude and senseless. Even though this hurt Kid's feelings after the many unfortunate event that had occurred where Kid, for say, failed his father. "I'm sorry." looking back up "I'll try to calm down. It's just... so many deaths have occurred in such a short amount of time that everyone's a little bit-"

"Us leaders must stay calm in these situations. No matter what pressure." Lord Death chuckled "We're what hold these people together most of the time. Everyone has grown to depend on their leaders. This of course isn't really a good thing, not for them and not for us. But, it is what it is and it's what we must do."

"I understand." Kid sighed "I'll stay calm. I promise. I won't freak out, I'll be a good role model."

"By the way, there are important people from the government coming to have have dinner and talk with us. You need to come and show we have everything under control. If they see anything's wrong, they'll suspect us as if we're guilty of causing these tremors."

"Why?"

"If these earthquakes aren't being caused by some sort of natural process, only something with godly powers could create something so massive in destruction. On the other side of the world, there are countries that have already broken apart from one another."

"Seriously?" Kid was amazed. "When did that happen?"

"Today. Not big countries, but in any case this is causing much worry. When we're under investigation, you must show no signs that you know any inside details of what is going on that may make you look guilty or that you are unstable. If we're seen unfit to rule, I don't know what the government will do or the people none the less, we are being 'targeted'."

"Tomorrow... I'll be here at twelve so we can get prepared and such."

"Also, there will be a series of investigations so be careful. You never know who will approach you. Not like I'm worried you can't handle yourself but... you never know."

"Thanks for the heads up." Death the Kid began heading out of the room when his father spoke up and sighed with a non enthusiastic tone

"I love you, Kid. Don't worry too much, you're not yourself when you're stressed."

There was that familiar chill in Kid's heart when he walked out mumbling "I love you too, father." Maybe he was so upset because his father knew so little about the scenario. Why was this all happening?! _"You're not yourself when you're stressed." _Who is when they are? Of course... Kid wasn't always the most sane of people, although his laid back, all business personality would make people think otherwise. He was somewhat neurotic, as anyone who witnessed one of his 'symmetry spasms' may recall. Everyone was panicked and it was his duty to stay calm and lead them. To assure everything is alright. This _wasn't _alright. Kid had settled down and headed home appearing alright.

When he opened the mansion doors, he found Maka, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Crona, Liz, and Patty sitting on a set of couches by each other.

"What did Lord Death say about the earthquake?" Soul asked, calm and cool. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Kid answered with a sigh. "Everyone just needs to stay calm. We can't take a worldwide panic. Other countries have split as well."

"Really!" Blackstar exclaimed. "Everyone will be alright as long as I'm around!"

"Something must be causing this." Maka said under her breath, practically to no one.

"It might be natural." Tsubaki suggested like Lord Death had. "Isn't there continental drift?"

"There is, but would it be so violent like this? I though that stuff happens over a long period of time." Liz asked.

"It does!" Patty giggled like a maniac "Haven't ya' heard of Pigpia?"

"You mean Pangea?" Soul raised an eyebrow.

Kid looked at how lightly his friends seemed to be taking it. He thought about how things would go tomorrow. Maybe he was tricking himself into thinking things were going to be alright? That things were going to settle? It's good to lie to yourself sometimes. Was this a good time? For the time being it was. Lying to himself would calm him down for now, but soon enough reality would hit him harder than it has ever done before. It would hit everyone. Things would never be the same again, but...

let's head on forward in an orderly manner.


	3. Chapter 3

It was obvious the stress of all the meetings and media attention was getting to Kid. Liz and Patty noticed the effects right off the bat. Not only was Kid constantly busy that week, but he was up longer at night watching the news, he was getting up really early in the morning and didn't show up at school as often while Liz and Patty trained in the gym or took classes with the rest of the many kids who cared to show up. Death the Kid was getting darker circles under his eyes and he was eating less.

"You don't look so good." Liz said one late Friday night.

"I've been going to constant meetings with father and I must be perfect... act perfect at least." Kid stated dryly "Who would appear perfectly happy and well after an entire week of non-stop questions on a topic we still aren't certain about?"

"A tough person." Patty skipped into the room the two were in and giggled "Kid, I thought you were invincible like sissy!"

"Patty, your sister isn't invincible like you imagine." Liz glanced back at her younger sister and back towards Kid. "Kid, you _need _to get some sleep. You aren't invincible either and you're most definitely sleep deprived."

"I can't. I'm busy watching this." Kid nodded to the TV and sighed "I need to know that the public is doing alright for the situation. We've only had light tremors ever since last week, but things aren't looking up for what I am aware of."

Liz walked up to Kid, grabbed the remote out of his hand, and turned off the TV. She couldn't help but yawn when she saw the drained look in his face. "Go to bed _now_. Do you want to show up looking stressed and worried to the public and these many important people you have been seeing? Isn't this what you're _not_ supposed to be doing?"

Death the Kid instantly stood up, the final comment having gotten under his skin. "I'm sorry. You're right, I should get some rest." He went upstairs and got ready for bed.

"I'm worried about him." Liz yawned, talking to Patty as the girls lay in their beds, prepared to fall asleep.

"We all are." Patty answered in her happy tone like usual. "Don't worry, sis. Kid will be fine. He is our meister after all!"

"I guess you're right... he's a tough one... but still... with him you never know."

The next day, Maka and Soul were called into the death room early during school.

"What is it, Lord Death?" Maka asked with the usual perkiness she had when a school day began.

"Maka, Soul, I have a mission for you two."

"Does it have to do with the rest of North America splitting from Mexico and so on?" she asked.

"Indeed it does."

"What it is?" Soul inquired. "Where are we going?"

"You two must go investigate at the break where this country split. The land over at the break is completely destroyed, water filled it up. We do have some ideas on what this is caused by, but I personally doubt it is natural. You see, the continent didn't drift, but rather the land around the border sunk inwards and it flushed out into surrounding waters. So now the land bordering the new border looks completely different than before and water is going through it like a giant river."

Maka started "I hear that the land that moved over to the sides of Mexico created a new land form all together. Similar to the destruction in Europe and the east where the land broke apart."

"Yup!" Lord Death nodded. "It looks like that anyways. The mission is simple enough, just head over there and investigate the surrounding. I've sent some more mature meisters and death scythes over to the other side of the world to investigate there. I'll send the good kiddies to the area here in America just for safety reasons."

"We'll do that, Lord Death." Maka agreed. "Anything else we need to know?"

"If you find anything out that spells unnatural, keep the information classified and tell me what you fing once you get back. I expect you to be back in a few days."

"Got it, Lord Death." Soul grinned. "Sounds like a cool mission for an awesome death scythe! Come on, Maka."

The two headed out to go on their mission.

Blackstar was heading over to Kid's house at around the same time his friends had left on the investigation. He wanted to see if Kid was home and he really just wanted to talk to the reaper. Tsubaki was out with Liz shopping and had gone earlier. The girls still weren't home yet, so he thought Kid might be home alone as well.

When Blackstar found that the door was unlocked, he opened it up yo find Patty on the floor coloring paper with crayons.

"Patty, is Kid home?" the blue haired ninja asked.

"No, he's was called over by Lord Death. More people are asking them questions."

"Oh. I guess I have nothing to do but show off my skills at... wait a second... isn't it a school day? Why did Tsubaki leave with Liz?"

"Lord Death gave us some special free time because Liz called him last night after she got Kid to go to sleep that Kid was in hard times and stressing us out, so we got a day off for our trouble. Liz asked if she could invite Tsubaki to come along. We showed up early to school and we left early. You didn't show up at all."

"I was running late when I saw Tsubaki drop by. I didn't realize that."

"Ha! Ha! You're funny Blackstar!"

"Of course I am! I am the mighty-"

"You wanna draw with me?" Patty looked at the boy with a kitty-cat smile and her big blue eyes.

"Hm..." Blackstar looked down at the colorful pages and laughed at the challenge that popped into his mind. "Yeah! We can have a drawing contest!"

He closed the door behind him and the two colored, laughing together on the ground.

Back at the meeting Kid and his father were in, the men dressed in black suits and black sunglasses looked down at Kid with cold poker faces. They all stood around the mirror, waiting for Lord Death and his son to speak. There was a menacing quality the men had that Kid didn't like one bit.

"Who're you guys again?" Lord Death asked, cocking his head.

"We are from the IHK."

"What's that?" Death the Kid asked.

"The institution of human kind."

"I've never heard of that." Lord Death said. "On the phone you said you were very important people."

"We are. And we will be back next week for some important business."

"What's your name, sir?" the death god continued.

"My name is," the man who was answering all of the death god's questions, who stood in the front, middle of all the men answered "Arthur Kingly. The head CPO of the IHK. I will be asking many questions, so please, this may take a while."

"We're all good!" Lord Death sang, turning to his son. "What about you, Kid?"

"I'm fine." Death the Kid answered with a sigh, not liking the grown men and their appearance. "Ask anything you want. We have plenty of time."

"Alright, Death the Kid." Arthur clapped his hands. "Let the questioning begin."


	4. Chapter 4

In the death room, Arthur went on and on, asking many questions like everyone else who had came asked.

"Is that all you know, Lord Death?" he asked.

Lord Death nodded and answered "Yes."

"Death the Kid," Arthur turned towards the young boy. "I would like to talk to you alone. Is that alright?"

"... Yes. Right, father?" Death the Kid hesitantly answered. He had been with his father this whole time and the idea of being questioned alone after all the stress he had felt the past couple weeks, from all the tremors to the cracks, back to the questions, had troubled him. He still wasn't in good shape, and was exhausted. He wasn't hungry even though he should be, but he just... _wasn't_. "There is no issue in doing so."

"Be back soon!" his father sang as Arthur lead him out the room and to an empty room somewhere in DWMA.

"You know this place don't you?" Arthur asked the young reaper.

"I know the layout of this school very well..." Kid thought back to how he had not known where Asura was in a part of the school he hadn't known well. "I know the school very well." he finished with a sigh.

"Does your father show you everything in the school?"

"Yes."

"You and your father are very close, aren't you?"

"Indeed we are." Death the Kid had a few ideas of why this guy from IHK was asking about the relationship with his father. One idea he had was that Arthur was asking him these questions because Arthur thought Kid knew things about the earthquake and that Kid would be easier to break. The father and son weren't too close, as most may take note. Of course, the two did share a special bond, Lord Death being the only parent to Kid and that Kid looked up to him with great respect. The respect was good, but the respect wasn't enough to fuel their relationship, in fact, on Kid's part, the respect for his father wasn't always good for his own well being. Kid, always feeling the need to impress his father and feeling that he would never be as great a god as his father. The OCD didn't help with Kid's shaky view on himself, often making his failures even worse than what they were, even causing the actual fails. "We have a great relationship."

"That's nice." Arthur smiled 'kindly'. "If my father had a _great relationship_ with me, perhaps I wouldn't be in such a rough position."

"In my position, you don't really have a choice."

"Yes, shinigami are born shinigami and that's all they'll ever be."

"That's right." Kid sighed. "Are you going to ask me more questions?"

"Not today. Let's head back."

"That was fast."

"You didn't seem so sure on your answers." Arthur stated with a sly grin, noticing Kid's worried expression when he said so. "It's okay if you and your father aren't the greatest pair, there's always somewhere else to turn when one is no longer here to turn to."

Kid didn't walk back to the death room after that, instead he walked home alone, slightly out of sorts. How had Arthur noticed he wasn't being truthful? What was going to happen now? He was too nervous to head back to the death room. Maybe all the stress he's in is starting to effect his personality as well?

Blackstar and Patty had gone to a par after some time of drawing. The winner of the contest was uncertain, both Blackstar and Patty having named themselves the best. The trees were green and the sky was blue, the grass appeared like waves as the wind picked up. The two walked along a gravel path.

"This has been a really fun day, Patty," Black started, looking at the blonde who stood just as tall as himself. "I, being the great big man I am, should thank you."

"Ha! Blackstar, why would you thank me?" Patty giggled. "I wanted to play with you! If Kid was with us, he wouldn't do half the things we did!"

"Nope. Not with him obsessing over symmetry." the ninja laughed "We did so many asymmetrical things today he would have died if he saw!"

"He will see one or two things." the blue eyed girl grinned "like the pig I colored on the TV screen, and the star you drew on the wall!"

"I should probably apologize for that..." Blackstar thought about how bad Kid would react since he had been so stressed lately. Really, he didn't think Kid was as bad as what he actually seemed. Blackstar could be blinded easily by how he viewed a person. How could Kid be so stressed? He's such a calm person, unless he's acting OCD. "Oh well," he shrugged. "I don't care. I'm sure Kid's fine."

"Kiddo's tough and strong." Patricia gazed up to the sky, suddenly getting off topic. "Your hair is blue like the sky, Blackstar! You're like a god, so are you the son of the sky?"

"No, I'm from the star clan." Blackstar corrected, feeling something weird inside of his chest as he looked at Liz's younger sister.

"Aren't stars in the sky? So you're high like you say you are!" Although what Patty said could be interpreted in quite a few ways, Blackstar took is as a great compliment and shouted

"Of course! I'm the biggest star there is!"

"You're really cool like Soul!" Patty smiled with a calm tone of voice, causing Blackstar to look at her with a brow raised.

"I know... but really?"

"Really! Like Kid, like Soul, you're cool. You're strong." she paused for a moment and said "I like you a lot, Blackstar. You're so cool!"

"I enjoy your company, Patty." the meister's weird feeling in his chest grew. "You're pretty cool too... Not as cool as me-"

"No fair-"

"You remind me a little of me, that's a rarity."

The two left each other, Blackstar thought he was hungry. When he got back home, Tsubaki was there, and she made him a nice big dinner. When he finished, he explained how his day went. Tsubaki nodded as he spoke, a smile on her face.

After a days travel, Maka and Soul found themselves at the nightmare itself. The land that caved in was indeed pushed out to the sides of the USA and Mexico, forming what looked like islands on the two separated sides.

"That's a bit troubling." Maka mumbled as she walked up to the edge, the ocean waves splashing up past her knees. "The land really did split..."

"Aren't we going to go underwater?" Soul asked, standing behind his meister.

"Yes, we'll do that during tomorrows search, but for now let's stay dry-"

Soul shoved Maka into the water, laughing hysterically as her face turned red from anger.

"Soul..." she growled, grabbing onto the edge of land. "You're so-"

Maka stopped mid-sentence. She had kicked her foot forward underwater and had felt something weird.

"Give me a hand and I won't Maka-chop you." she reached out to Soul.

"Fine." Soul chuckled, but when he grabbed her hand, she swiftly pulled him in. Now the two were in the water together.

"I want you to duck under water with me, okay?" Maka grabbed Soul's hand and he asked

"Why? Is something there?"

"Maybe." the blonde with pigtails answered. "I want you in case something's wrong and I need you."

"Okay... It's cool to help your friends."

The two dived under the waves simultaneously, and what they saw was indeed out of the ordinary. Or was it? Everything was messed up these days.

Soul's red eyes followed his meister's green and the odd finding came into view.

It was a fish much bigger than a human. Was the thing even a fish? It was ginormous! As it swam around seemingly trapped in an underwater cavern, Maka guessed the fish was about eight or nine meters. When the monster fish's face was revealed, it showed a beak-like bite instead of a toothy one. It seemed to have an armored face, the friends couldn't tell below the skull.

The beast rammed into the little opening Maka and Soul had been watching it from, making the kids swim back and jump right out of the water.

"I've never seen a fish like that." Soul gasped as they walked away from the slippery edge and back towards hot dry land. "Didn't you buy an underwater camera?"

"Yes, just before we left." Maka replied. "We need to go back to the hotel and get it. We should take a picture of the creature. It doesn't look like it's from modern time."

"So we're going to go back to our old school history lessons." Soul smirked, though trembling slightly from the encounter. "Let's take the picture soon. The power that creature rammed against the cave walls... who knows how long the thing will be trapped."

"This is for sure evidence worth viewing." Maka sighed "At least we won't come back empty handed like most of the older meisters and investigators have."

They got back to the hotel. Soul looked at his hair in the bathroom mirror and was surprised his hair was still the same white it was before he had fallen (was pulled) into the water. Maka shook her head seeing how her hair was a mess and went to grab the underwater camera. _That monster... _Soul thought to himself, looking at Maka and how she still had not Maka-chopped him. _She's so caught up by the thing that she still hasn't hit me. That thing, she said wasn't like a modern day sea creature... In that case, what is it?_

"Soul, what are you waiting for?" Maka came back into the bathroom with the camera in hand, business and excitement in her eyes. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

Liz came home from the mall to find Patty wasn't there. She went upstairs to put her bags away in her bedroom when she suddenly felt the urge to go into the kitchen.

She set her bags down next to her bed and went downstairs, entering the kitchen. She stopped at the doorway, seeing that Kid was sitting at the very end of the table. The reaper stared blankly down at the table, resting his palms on his temples.

"What's wrong, Kid?" Liz asked, walking up to the opposite chair and sitting down, much space between the two.

"... Nothing's wrong." Kid answered quietly without even glancing at her. "How was your day, Liz?"

"Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you." she demanded.

Kid looked up to her and she instantly could tell something was wrong. He looked like he was sick. He was pale like he had died... of course he is death, but it was a more sickly pale than white. Kid seemed to be drained of energy, yawning as Liz made her observation.

"What?" he asked as Liz stood up and stood next to his seat, pulling his chair away from the table and looking at him with a worried expression.

"You look ill." she stated. "You need to get some rest. How was your day?"

"I don't want to talk about it." he yawned again, closing his eyes and facing away. "I'm going to go watch the news."

"Wait one moment. Why were you just sitting here?"

"I was hungry, but I just... didn't make any food." he sighed. "I'm going to go catch up on the news now, if you don't mind."

"Fine." Liz gave up, still wanting to help him in some way. "I'll make you a sandwich or something. What do you want?"

"I'm not hungry anymore." Kid mumbled as he went and sat down on the couch in front of the TV. "You don't need to make me anything. You should go enjoy yourself."

"I'm making you something, you eat it or not." Liz finished, grabbing two pieces of sliced bread and a plate, adding on the condiments.

She heard the TV turn on in the next room and shook her head as she heard the news. _So many things Kid is trying to do to help this situation... _Liz though angrily _Why does he have to worry so much about everyone else?! He's so spoiled but... in some ways... I can't explain it well. Even in the powerful position he holds, he's so stressed and is probably more susceptible to criticism than some people. For his age, he's already in charge of important things and must fulfill parts of his future job as a ruler. Darn it, he grew up way too fast._

Liz came into the living room and saw how Kid stared at the TV screen, his eyes nailed on the images of disaster and his ears listening to every sound and detail made and given. His brows were slightly furrowed by the sight of destroyed homes and some slightly blurred dead bodies.

"I see they're showing another special on the split land in Europe. Less people died here in America, you know, Kid?"

"All news channels have been going over this story constantly. Did you know that Canada has been experiencing more violent tremors lately? What if another terrible split happens in the land? What if it splits right through the USA? Father must play a key role in keeping this world safe along with I. So far from what he has told me, we most likely know the most of what is going on, and we know practically nothing. What I do know is father has sent some great Meisters and weapons investigating the scenes. He told me earlier that Maka and Soul were sent to the split down by Mexico to investigate."

"I'm sure they'll come up with something." Liz smiled reassuringly, although Kid didn't notice since he was glued to the television. "Those two are fabulous. They always come up with something."

"I bet they already have." Kid looked at Liz and back to the screen. "Alright, I need to listen. There is an interview of my father and I about the break that this news channel filmed."

"I'll watch it with you." Liz sat next to Kid. Although she had heard just about enough of the case, it seemed Kid couldn't forget it and she didn't want him to be alone in this situation.

Soul and Maka quickly took a picture of the monster-sized fish thingy and got out of the water as fast as they could. They no longer cared about getting their regular clothes wet, since their outfits were pretty much ruined aside from Soul's jacket and stuff. Besides, they could always wash it thoroughly.

They didn't spend much time on the dry land after taking the photos they needed. Instead, they headed off, back to Lord Death. They had not failed the mission like so many people ahead of them. Older. Stronger. How did they find something so... big... it looked like something before time. What on earth was it?

After some travel, they were back in Nevada and had entered the death room. Lord Death greeted them happily and they were surprised no one was around but Lord Death and Spirit.

"Maka, how are you?" Death Scythe asked his daughter. Maka simply scoffed and looked up at Lord Death, holding out the waterproof camera.

"You found something?" Lord Death asked, cocking his head.

"Yes, and it's quite an interesting find." Maka replied with a somewhat troubled look.

"It was really big and long." Soul commented as Spirit took the camera and looked at the photos with Lord Death peering at the tiny screen behind him. "It was like some sort of monster."

"What is that?!" Spirit exclaimed when he came across one of the many photos they took.

"It looks like some sort of whale... I think." Lord Death suggested. "I've never seen anything like that. Explain everything, Maka, Soul."

Maka and Soul explained their experience and how they speculated the being was some sort of prehistoric-like fish monster.

"Soul," Lord Death started. "Maka, you two say you believe this creature is prehistoric. I know a specialist that may know what this monster is."

"Who?" Soul asked. "Another meister? Weapon? History teacher?"

"Someone closer to your age." Lord Death sang. "I'll tell her to come in tomorrow. She's not a member of DWMA but she has done much research on prehistoric creatures and the earth before our time. She's been on the case of these splits and earthquakes since the first one occurred and has talked to me a few times before. She could even help you two out on some investigations, since I plan on sending you out again to investigate another part of the break."

"What part?" Maka asked.

"What's her name? How old _is _she?" Soul asked.

"I want you two to investigate what the people have to say, and what they have witnessed on the day this continent split apart." Lord Death answered the young blonde meister.

"What _is_ the girl's name again, Lord Death? Didn't she talk to you a few days ago?" Spirit asked.

"Yes we did talk." The death god turned back to the two waiting kids and answered to Soul and Spirit's question. "Her name is Amber Lucy. She's fifteen. A very smart girl. Maka, you should get along with her."

"She's one years older than me... oh well. Sounds nice." Maka sighed.

"What? Are you worried she'll be smarter than you?" Soul laughed, irritating Maka greatly.

"Soul..." she growled, landing a punch in his chest. Soul coughed and snarled

"I was just playing around."

"I'll tell you two when she arrives!" Lord Death said in his usual sing-song voice. "Have a nice day!"

The meister and weapon left the death room and went back to their house, taking their camera with them.

"I'm glad we get to relax." Soul smiled, taking a seat on their cozy couch.

"Do you feel those vibrations?" Maka asked, balancing herself as the house very lightly shook.

"Yeah." the feeling left quickly, and things went back to normal. "Was that an earthquake?"

"I guess." the pigtailed blonde sat next to Soul. "Do you think this Amber girl is going to be hot or something? I heard how desperately you asked for her name and age."

"I hope she's hot." Soul grinned at the ever so serious Maka. "Way more attractive than you and your tiny-"

"Maka-chop!" The book came out of nowhere, and Soul never got to finish his sentence.

Perhaps things would get better? Maybe the Amber girl would be able to identify the being Maka and Soul had seen? Maybe Blackstar and Tsubaki will be assigned to an actual mission? Perchance the things with Death the Kid and Lord Death will stop growing worse? Maybe Liz, Kid, and Patty will be sent on a mission as well? Would things ever get better?

Either way things will move forward, problem is, things can always get _much_ worse.


	6. Chapter 6

"Soul, Maka, I would like you to meet Amber Lucy." Lord Death sang as Soul and Maka entered the death room the next day.

Maka scoffed in disbelief at how Soul's eyes widened at the girl who stood by Lord Death.

Amber Lucy had wavy black hair that reached down to her lower back. She had lightly tan skin. Her eyes were a light blue and relaxed. She wore a shy smile upon her face. Maka and Soul both paid much attention to her big breasts. Maka with jealousy, and Soul with his usual personality.

Amber wore a school girl outfit consisting of a black and purple sweater vest, purple plaid skirt, and a skull tie similar to Maka's friend Tsugumi Halberd. She had the odd pair of shoes, galaxy vans, which didn't match her outfit at all.

"So... you're Amber?" Soul asked, walking up to the girl.

"Yes, that's me." Amber replied quietly. Her voice was somewhat high pitched voice. "Lord Death called me up here because you two need me to see something... What is it that I need to see?"

"Good thing I brought the camera." Maka held up the camera she had taken the photos of the fishy being with in her hand and turned it on, finding the image of the creature.

"This is it." Maka handed the girl the camera, noticing Amber was taller than her. This made Maka feel even more irritated. If Amber could identify the fish thingy, Maka wouldn't consider that making the girl smarter than her since she herself didn't study much about prehistoric beings. Maka had the idea that even Kid would know more about prehistoric creatures than herself, and that was slightly reassuring.

Amber took the camera and looked at the photos of the giant, her eyes widening in shock.

"About how long do you think this is?" she asked.

"Probably... eight or nine meters." Maka answered, observing Amber's astonishment.

"That plated armored skin... placoderms..." she mumbled to herself. "Instead of teeth... beaked plates... The details on the skin... All the details..."

"What do you think it is?" Soul asked, stepping up behind her and looking at the photos with her.

"To the best of my knowledge, I'd say this is a Dunkleosteus... It doesn't make sense. Those are long extinct."

"Really?" Maka was surprised. Why would something that had gone extinct suddenly reappear? What was it called again? What time did it go extinct?

"That's something new." Lord Death said in his goofy, yet more serious of tones. "How much do you know about this Dunkleosteus?"

"It has one of the most powerful known bite forces. It is thought to be a slow, but powerful swimmer. I've only seen artist reconstructions of what the Arthrodira Placoderms look like, but the Dunkleosteus is known to be one of the largest of the Arthrodira Placoderms to have lived."

"When did it go extinct?" Maka questioned, looking Amber in the eyes with curiosity.

"During the Devonian transition to Carboniferous. The species is said to have first showed up in the Silurian period. It's said that the Dunkleosteus only lasted a mere fifty million years. Fossils of this prehistoric armored fish have been found in North America, but either way there's no reason it would be alive today."

"It was trapped in a cave... do you think there are more? Do you think it can bust itself out?" asked Soul. He wasn't sure what periods of times and groups of whatever Amber was talking about were, but he wasn't stupid to the point where everything he heard was 'blah blah blah'. He still caught what she was saying and like Maka, although unsure about quite a things, still payed attention and understood it to a point where they got the big idea.

"I don't have a clue if there are more, but if it tries hard enough, busting itself out it quite possible." Amber turned to face Soul and said "I don't know about killing it, this is a rare find but... I don't know what would happen if it escaped either. The fact that it's alive now is strange in itself since everything was different back than, such as levels of oxygen, and so on. It'll probably starve to death after a while, but it might find a way to eat fish or even people. Back in it's day, it is likely to dwell in inshore waters. It would be bad if it escaped and feasted upon humans."

"Remember, Amber, you are not to tell anyone of this outside of this room." Lord Death instructed. "Who knows what would happen if the wrong people got a hold on this information?"

"Got it. By the way, Lord Death, is there any place I can stay?" Amber asked with pleading eyes, staring up into the dark holes of Death's mask.

"What happened?" the god asked, cocking his head.

"My house burned down." she was no longer paying attention to Maka or Soul. "One of the earthquakes had triggered something and bad things happened. All I could do was pack my shi, a few of my outfits, and get out of there. I don't know what happened to the others..."

"What do you mean?" Maka asked, slightly concerned.

"I can't remember if anyone but me got out of the house. I was there for a quick visit and it all burned to the ground. I was panicked and never really checked if anyone was safe, I just ran." There was a hint of guilt in her voice. "Oh well," she breathed out shakily. "Life. What can you do about it? I'm just heading forward as best as I can. I don't have much money left, and I'm sorry to ask but I need a little help. I'll take up a job if I must. I just... need a place to stay."

"You can stay in the school if you would like." the shinigami suggested. "Or-"

"Stay at our house." Soul put a hand on Amber's shoulder, causing her to shrink back a little. "It's fine with me, you can sleep on the couch."

"Can I talk to you for one moment?" Maka pulled Soul away and whispered in his ear "If anyone's making any decisions without asking their best friend first, it's me. I don't-"

"Didn't you hear her situation? She's running out of money, she may have lost her family in a fire, and yet she's helping us anyways. She's important and we need to at least give her a nice place to stay. Are you really so selfish as to not helping someone when they have nowhere to go? You helped Crona and she was one of the bad guys at first, and now you're doing this?"

"I'm not being selfish, I just-"

"What? You're too jealous to even treat someone kindly?"

"I'll prove I'm not jealous." Maka straightened herself up, quite upset about what Soul had said. "You can stay with us." she sighed "Sleep on our couch, eat our food, and so on."

"Are you sure?" Amber asked. "I don't want to be a bother-"

"You can work on helping us figure out this whole un-extinction thing while you stay." Lord Death sang. "It's all good! Anyone's welcome in times of need."

"Oh, that's so kind. It's too much."

"Not at all." Soul turned to the god in front of him. "Can we tell Tsubaki and Blackstar, Liz, Patty, Kid about this discovery?"

"Yes." Lord Death answered. "In fact, I need to talk to my son. Tomorrow is another meeting."

The three left the death room, Amber picking up a bag of the things she left her home with and carrying it at her side. They eventually got to Maka's apartment and Amber adjusted to things.

"I'm going to call Kid and tell him the news." Maka said, picking up her phone.

"Right. I'll call Blackstar." Soul picked up his cellphone.

They told everyone the news and Maka told Kid he needed to go to the death room.

Back at Blackstar's house, Tsubaki was making dinner as the blue haired ninja talk on the home phone. Blackstar was shocked and explained everything he had heard to Tsubaki, who was also surprised.

At Death the Kid's mansion, Kid was told the news, explained things to Patty and Liz, and than headed off to see his father.

"Be safe." Liz warned. "It's getting dark out."

"I'm fine alone."

"You sure?" Patty asked from the couch. After Kid had seen what she had done on the wall, he threw a fit. He was upset at Blackstar, but would deal with his friend later.

"I have no issues protecting myself." he sighed and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

"Right..." Liz mumbled to herself bitterly, remembering that Noah guy and how Kid was pretty much alone since Liz and Patty couldn't do anything. "Since you've _never_ gotten hurt while on your own."

Kid walked along the streets, fatigued. He heard a noise behind him and thought not much of it. He heard another noise and could have sworn he saw a figure move along the street. He continued his way, heard another noise, and paused.

What's there? Nothing? It must be something. What's making that noise?

The ground began to rumble once more. Kid fell to the ground from lack of balance. Something broke behind him with a loud crumbling sound. A hard and heavy object hit his head, and he was knocked out.

This earthquake was similar to the one they had felt when the rest of North America split from Mexico. In that case, was the continent breaking again?


	7. Chapter 7

Death the Kid opened his eyes to see it was still nighttime. A sticky red fluid wet his hair and trickled down his face. His sight was blurry and he realized a brick had hit his head and knocked him out. From what? There was a crumbled brick house which no one appeared to be inside.

Chances are he wasn't out long, for no one had come to help him. He got up despite a pounding headache centered at the top of his head. He reached his hand up, feeling the wound the brick had given him. Although it was small, when you bleed from the head, tons of blood can come out despite the actual wound being tiny.

He walked to the death room and his father was alone with him.

"Are you alright?" Lord Death asked, noticing the blood on his son's face.

"I'm fine, just a little lightheaded." Kid answered with a sigh. "Another earthquake... A brick house crumbled and a brick hit my head while I was on my way here. So... what did you want to talk to me about? Is it the Dunkleosteus Maka had talked about?"

"I believe you know enough about that issue already." his father said. "I called you here to warn you not only are we having another meeting early in the morning tomorrow with some news station. In the afternoon there's a meeting with some government members, so I suggest you get a lot of sleep. And... I wanted to see my son."

"Well, you're seeing me now." Kid stated bitterly. "I should get home now if I want to get some sleep, Liz and Patty might get worried if..." he trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "I want... Why is it that... Never mind, I'm going home. What time do I need to be here in the morning?"

"Six in the morning." Lord Death wanted to spend some time with his son as a 'good' parent child relationship should be, laughing, talking about serious things while being completely open with each other, having fun... Not what they had. It was indeed late, and Kid should get his sleep...

"I'd have to shower too, clean up, wash away the blood." Kid felt an ill feeling in his gut and wasn't sure why. "I'll see you tomorrow, father. Good night."

"I love you, Kid." Lord Death tried to make that clear as best he could, but Kid was already at the exit. "Know I will always love you, no matter what."

"Sure you will." Death the Kid left, regretting his words. He was angry, maybe because his father called him up for something they could have discussed on the phone? Perhaps it was because despite the surprising discovery of this once extinct fish thing, the earthquakes continued and they didn't have a single clue why?

Whatever the reason, it was effecting their relationship in a negative manner, and was getting even worse.

When Kid got home, the girls had gone to bed, and after a quick shower, he went downstairs and turned on the TV to see what exactly happened during the terrible earthquake he had felt.

After the terrible earthquake, Maka, Soul, and Amber were sitting on a couch in the weapon and meister's apartment. Blair cradled in Maka's lap. They had switched on the news and learned what happened.

Tsubaki was in the kitchen making dinner for Blackstar and herself while listening to the news on a little portable radio when she too heard the news woman spoke like she was crying, definitely panicked.

"**Breaking news; Another earthquake... ****_What_****? ****_That can't be_****!"**

The news lady argued while continuing to speak into the mice with someone in the background. She came back from the argument hysterical. **"Heartbreaking news; The earthquake that occurred... Right down the middle of USA from California to Virginia, the land caved in. Magma and water have spewed up out of the broken ground! No one knows how deep below the ground caved in. We are not able to access the land at the current moment and everyone is warned to keep away! Hell is breaking loose. **

**If something like this occurs in Yellowstone, we will all surely die with minutes! Yellowstone is the largest volcanic area in the world from what we are aware of. You can clearly tell by the boiling mud pots, springs, and geysers that are all throughout the national park. **

**Clearly many people have died, the outer crust caving in even in some big cities. We are waiting for the US government to take action. **

**People are rioting on big city streets! It's madness! If we can't rely on the government, the president to take care of us, will the god of death please stand up? We're dying here! This is a message to you damn shinigami! You're a living god! Why aren't you doing anything?! If you can't control this, what kind of god are you?! You and your meisters and weapons are BS! I'm warning you now, you can be moved right down from where you stand if you're not fit to be a leader! You and your damned son having interviews on TV and not knowing anything and telling us to keep calm!"**

She was upfront insulting shinigami-sama and Death the Kid, which in a way was understandable considering he _is _a god and _is _one of the highest powers in the world when it comes to political ranks. The microphone was scratchy and she was practically screaming, you could hear shuffling in the background as if someone was trying to pull her away. **"You death gods need to be taken care of! You must be causing all of this for... for your own entertainment! Burn in hell, shinigami! Both you and your son should be in prison for eternity! If you're truly innocent, prove it! My own mother died from one of these earthquakes! Didn't DWMA take care of that Asura guy? Take care of THIS!" **

The microphone went dead and all Tsubaki could hear was static.

The weapon ran and told her meister everything she had heard. Tsubaki, despite her usual calm and kind self was furious with how her friend Kid and the greatly respected Lord Death were being talked about. Especially since she was aware of Kid's stress.

Blackstar was furious as well. He was close to Death the Kid as a friend, and there was still lingering rivalry between the two. He cared about Kid, and the selfish part of him didn't like how Kid was getting more attention than he was.

When Maka, Soul, and Amber saw the news woman on live television, they were horrified as the image went to 'please stand by' while the woman was being pulled away from the microphone. They could still hear what she was saying until even the sound vanished into static. The light flickered shortly in the house, and turned back on in an amount of seconds.

"That's terrible!" Maka gasped, mouth open from shock. "Why would she say something like that about Lord Death?!"

"I understand why she would but..." Soul was upset, but far more calm than Maka. "Our own country has caved in a line through the middle, east to west, is a scary reality to take in, but we should try to calm down and-"

"Oh dear." Amber interrupted, standing up off the couch, going up to the TV, and turning it off. Looking at the startled Blair upon Maka's head, and Soul sitting on the couch with a troubled look on his face. "I hope the Dunkleosteus is alright."

"That's what you're thinking about?!" Maka stood up, causing Blair to fall back onto the couch. The blonde walked right up to Amber and snapped "In a time where people are dropping like flies. Lord Death and Kid are in trouble, you're worried about the giant fish?!"

"Extinct prehistoric Arthrodira Placoderm Dunkleosteus, must I remind you." Amber sighed. "It's amazing that it is alive. I'm not saying I'm not worried about the people, I just hope the Dunkleosteus is still alive. It's possible that it has escaped after this earthquake. Don't be foolish, Maka, I have my reasons for thinking about it."

"I guess." Maka gave up, sitting back down on the couch. "Darn it. What has happened to this world?"

"I hope the others are okay." Soul said, glancing at the black screen. "Especially Kid, considering all the pressure he's been under."

"I'm going to bed." Maka went to her bedroom saying "I need time to think. I'm not going to let this world fall into an abyss."

"Abyss." Something popped into Soul's mind at that word. "A hole beneath the ground we stand. The land caving in. Are you following what I'm thinking, Amber?"

"That's a good theory." Amber grinned, placing Blair in her lap. "The idea that something is hidden beneath our feet is quite possible."

"It's like how the kishin was hidden in DWMA, right below us." Soul grinned. "It's hidden so people don't suspect anything. They don't suspect so people don't look."

At Kid's house, Liz was sleeping next to Patty. The girls hugged each other tightly. The quake had terrified Liz, and Patty had screamed Kid's name, wanting him to come back even though he was no longer with them. Now they're in bed, asleep, unaware of the severity of the recent quake.

Kid watched the news.

A recording of the news woman who all his friends had heard played and was talked about. Images from the new destruction were shown, some dead bodies, lots of water, and magma.

He trembled as films of riots played on the station, the people chanting and screaming. There was even a shooting where multiple people died, and many people had been trampled to death amidst the enraged crowd.

This was not calm. This was what the two death gods had tried to prevent.

Kid was used to insults directed to his father and him, on live TV, at DWMA, in Death City, and all over the place. He had never seen such a huge amount of people saying the same thing. How his father and he himself were guilty of these nightmarish events.

"No." he laid down on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. "This can't be happening." Another sinking feeling pulled down on his heart and he was choked up, feeling great remorse for how rude he was to his father.

He was supposed to get sleep that night, but he couldn't rest his weary head. Instead of sleeping, he injured his health even more by staying awake all night watching the social madness unfold clip after clip. Even though his eyes weighed down as if sand bags were attached. He felt worse than sick. Death the Kid couldn't explain it. It felt as if his intestines were being tied and creating friction against his organs and such, making it feel like he had a bubble in his abdomen.

"I only wanted to sleep." he mumbled in frustration "And now this is keeping me awake."

At five in the morning, Kid looked at the time on the TV, got ready, and left his house leaving a note to the girls that he wouldn't be home and would be back later. He left to the death room, wondering what kind of chaos he would meet this _fine_ day.


	8. Chapter 8

When Kid arrived at the death room, his father noticed how tired he was and asked "Didn't you sleep last night, Kiddo?"

Death the Kid shook his head. "I couldn't. I was up last night watching the news. Didn't you hear about that one news lady? And the riots? If we're supposed the be the 'guardians' of this earth, we're not doing a very good job. We're not keeping our leadership in tact, none the less the peoples' peace of mind."

"Those things for the time being are out of our control. Us shinigami never used force to earn the place we stand, we were given it naturally, being gods. The people used to look up to us, but the earthquakes aren't under our control, and when we can't control something, it's too late to change the opinions of others who find we are useless. In the case where people see us as a threat because of what we are, which is proven time after time, the fear and hatred can be turned into accusations and lies in an attempt to give others such thoughts. If you cannot trust your leader, you have no steady peace, if you can, you shall be peaceful. These people have heard lies and assumptions by the media or have had their own ideas of us for some time now. When these people come together, more are effected by these bad thoughts like a contagious disease."

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one likes another to force their opinion onto them. That's why almost everyone in DWMA and Death City still believe we can protect them."

"And we will protect everyone we can. My soul is still around this city, I'll never be able to leave. You must bring back the order that this world needs. Although, judging by the looks of things, you're not in the best state of mind."

"Indeed, I have been under a lot of pressure lately." Kid looked down at his feet. "That doesn't mean I'm able to ignore my job as shinigami. No matter how it effects me, the people come first. It's like how when it comes down to things and you have to choose, you would rather have one person die than five, that's simple common sense. It's best to avoid multiple casualties rather than allow the majority to suffer. It's in cases like this that the majority is suffering, and thus they get back at the ones who are said and thought to have caused it. We can save the minority, but the rest won't allow us to help themselves."

"That's a good way of saying it, Kid." Lord Death had dropped the sing-song voice the moment Kid had walked in. "It's even more difficult to help everyone when the world no longer believes you can help."

"When are the news people supposed to arrive?" Kid yawned.

"Any moment now. Try not to yawn during the interview, some people take that as rude. It's like how a bird doesn't show it's illness until it's too much to hide, we must be wild parakeets."

"Got it." Kid laughed at the comment.

The room was quiet for a moment, and finally the news people came in, setting up a video camera and preparing. Finally when everything was set up, Kid realized the seriousness of the people they would be answering to.

Kid, his father, and the reporter lady stood in front of the camera. The camera man said "Action!" and the three fixed anything they had missed before hand.

"This is an interview with Lord Death and hid son Death the kid." the reporter started, talking to the camera. "Sorry we're standing, but there wasn't a couch." She asked the first question. "What was your reaction the first time the continents broke apart?"

"We didn't know what happened right off the bat." Lord Death gave his answer. "When I found out, I immediately sent over powerful meisters and weapons to investigate. Sadly, they came up with nothing."

"What about you, Kid?" the reporter turned to him.

"I just wanted to know what was going on and if my father was okay." Kid answered. "I was at home when it occurred and father was in the death room. So when the continent split, which I didn't know that had happened at the time, I got here as soon as possible to check if everything was alright."

"You and your father have a good relationship?"

"Yes." Kid looked up at his father and back to the reporter. "We have our ups and downs like every relationship, but we love each other very much like a parent and child should. I respect my father very much and he's a great dad."

"You're a great son." Lord Death added. "I couldn't love you more."

"Same here."

"Alright, now to the next question..."

The news interview was easy enough, not as serious as Kid was expecting. He answered truly and false whenever he could say or had to lie. He was up next to his father the whole time, exchanging smiles or grimaces depending on the question they were answering. In the end, things had gone smoothly, Lord Death and Kid felt like they had answered appropriately to every question and hoped this interview would help to sway the minds of the raging folks.

It was the people coming in the afternoon that would be troubling.

During this fine day, Blackstar and Tsubaki went to get ice cream and ran into Maka, Soul, Liz, Patty, and Amber.

"Who's that?" Blackstar asked, referring to Amber.

"I'm Amber." she answered. "I'm helping out with the 'secret' investigation. You know what it is."

"Oh, the dinosaur fish thing." Blackstar laughed "I could beat it any day because I am the mighty Blackstar!"

"And I'm Tsubaki." Tsubaki smiled sweetly at Amber, who looked startled by Blackstar's outburst.

"Where's Kid?" Blackstar asked the others. "I've been wanting to talk to him."

"He's with his father today." Liz sighed and with a grim expression and said "I'm sure you can guess why."

"Seriously? More interviews and stuff?"

"Yup, all of that crap." Everyone of the friends could see Liz was angry. They all sat up on those tall spinning circle seats next to the counter, Blackstar and Tsubaki sat down with the rest, the two had worried expressions.

"I hate how people expect so much from Kid." Tsubaki appeared to be angry as well. "All that negative attention is too much for a kid, I have a feeling that even Blackstar would drop at some point."

"I'd be strong throughout the whole thing and wouldn't let it get to me." Blackstar denied Tsubaki's statement. "Kid's all stressed because he's weak and can't handle that-"

"Blackstar! Blackstar! Kid's as strong as you!" Patty interrupted, jumping off her seat, going up to Blackstar, and pulling him off. "Kid handles that every day, while you ignore it if it happens to you!"

Blackstar was made uncomfortable with how upset Patty turned out to be. "Come on! It's not my fault he takes it so seriously-"

"He has to! Don't you get that?! You never in a million years would take something seriously like he does!"

"You're one to talk-"

"And you're one who needs to shut up!"

The whole room was silent. Liz and the others all watched in shock at how serious Patty was right now and how rude Blackstar was being.

"I thought you were fun, Patty. Why so serious?" Blackstar asked. "You say_ I_ would never take something seriously and just look at yourself! It's not like_ I _don't care about Kid._ I_ can take things seriously._ I_ just don't get the chance to. Kid's lucky he gets so much attention and doesn't even act like it. God! _You_ and _everyone_ else only think about _yourselves_! Ever think about how _I _feel? Ever think about how things effect others?_ I_ never noticed how self-centered _you_ are! How come no one thinks about-"

Patty punched Blackstar right in the face, anger pounding inside her. Blackstar was at his stupidest today and he likely had the worst choice of words considering what they were talking about and who he was talking to.

Liz was furious at the blue haired ninja for saying such things about Kid and talking to Patty like that. Same with Maka and Tsubaki.

"Not cool." Soul shook his head at Blackstar. "So not cool."

"Oh dear..." Amber said, showing clear discomfort.

"What the hell, Patty?!" Blackstar yelled, recovering from the punch with a bloody nose.

"You're so stupid, Blackstar!" Patty ran out of the ice cream shop, Liz and Maka following her.

"What did I say?!" Blackstar shouted in frustration as the three ran out the door.

"Blackstar, you've done it." Maka growled as she, Soul, Tsubaki, and Amber got off their seats. "Why in Death's name would you say something like that?"

"I already asked, but what did I say?"

"You said too much." Tsubaki grabbed Blackstar's wrist and leaned down face-to-face with him, looking right into his eyes. "I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone, but you need to reflect a bit on the conversation."

"Just let it be." Soul sighed. He knew Blackstar wouldn't realize what he did wrong. Although Blackstar was generally nice, and cared about others, he did have his complete dumb-ass moments where chances are, he wouldn't notice he was being a jerk. "Come on, let's go home."

"Don't you see you hurt Patty's feelings?" Amber asked as Soul managed to drag Maka out of the cold store.

"I guess I hurt her feelings..." Blackstar looked away from Tsubaki and Amber. "I honestly don't know why."

"Oh well." Tsubaki gave up, something she was used to doing when it came to Blackstar. "You should apologize even if you don't understand why."

"I will, only because that's the manly thing to do."

"How do you view yourself?" Amber asked the boy.

"I'm stronger than god!" he yelled "Yahoo! I can beat anyone!"

"I see..." Amber didn't like the kid one bit. She thought to herself _judging by his behavior and how he can't reflect on his actions, how he sounded... he must be a narcissist._

The girls left the store, leaving Blackstar alone.

"Why's Patty upset?" he sat back on one of the spinning chairs. "What I said is true, isn't it?" He rested his forehead on the cold counter. "Reflect on what I said? What did I say wrong?" Blackstar didn't know what was wrong, but he had a feeling it was something he said. When he was younger, he didn't really know how to reflect on his action or see how his words may effect someone. Although he's gotten much better at seeing his wrongs from his rights, he still struggled with this ability. So now in a desperate attempt to see his wrong doings, he tried to sort out the conversation, picking phrases that if said to him, he would have punched the guy.

Back in the death room, Death the Kid and Lord Death were preparing for the government members they would be speaking to.

"What kind of talk will this be?" Kid asked his father as he straightened himself out, trying to look neat and symmetrical as possible.

"They'll be talking to us about this crisis." Lord Death explained. "They'll likely ask some hard questions. They might say some other things as well..."

"Like what?"

"I'm not sure, but I know it will be important."

"That's a _great_ explanation." Kid sighed. "So... the interview with those news people went well. Hopefully that shall calm the public."

"It may calm them, it may outrage them, at his point we can't tell. This case is very special with how people are viewing every last bit of information they get. Let's just hope there isn't some sort of rebellion against us."

"Rebellion? Why would there be a rebellion against us?"

"As I've said before, we are the guardians of this world, and if the population of the earth, even of USA don't think we're fit for the job-"

"They can overthrow us." The idea frightened Kid. "Wouldn't they need some sort of proof... you know... reasoning?"

"That's usually the case. Like I said, if there is anything wrong with us, such as instability and etc., we wouldn't be in such a good position."

"What would happen if we were... overthrown."

"The possibilities are endless." There was a definite concern in his father's voice. "I'm not going to continue right now, it's clearly troubling you and you're already so worried."

"Please continue-"

"Sorry Kiddo, this isn't a good topic to discuss."

After some time of quiet, the government people arrived looking in tiptop shape.

"Hello! Hello!" Lord Death greeted the men with his usual happy voice. "How are you all doing?"

"We are all dealing with the impact of what has happened." one of the men said.

"How are you two?" another man asked.

"We're doing our best to handle the situation." Lord Death answered. "So, what is it you're wondering-"

"We're not here to ask questions." one man interrupted. "We're here to talk to you in an actual discussion."

"Alright." Lord Death cocked his head. "Let's begin, shall we?"

"The people are hating everything." said man one.

"They're rioting and protesting." said man two.

"We high in power must do what is best for the people." stated man three.

"Unless you do something about this, bad things may happen." man four said.

"You and your son must get a grip on things." man five said.

"The whole world is waiting."

"Come on." Kid sighed "We can't do much at the moment. The people we sent to investigate found no reasons why the earth is doing what it is. How many times must we say this? Can't the countries' governments do anything about anything?"

"You two are gods, can't you figure that out on your own?" Man two snapped, looking down at Kid with fiery eyes. "Governments everywhere are under pressure and-"

"Wait. You think that because us _two _are gods that we can solve a problem that a whole network of people can't?" Kid was completely dumbfounded. _What the hell is wrong with these 'powerful' people?! If everyone below them relies on them, why are they themselves relying on others?! _"This is madness! At least when it was the kishin people didn't blame us and instead they tried as best they could to help. Why aren't you important people doing anything? You-"

"Kid." His father used his not-at-all friendly voice, you know it, the deep menacing one as a warning to Kid to shut up. "Sorry about that." his goofy voice returned. "We are aware that you can't do much more than we can. We've done what we can so far. I am very sorry for what my son said. He will not do that again. It's been a lot of stress for everyone, but we're still working non-stop to solve the problems of our world and regain peace."

"That's right." One of the government members leaned over, face to face with Kid and warned "You, little shinigami, shouldn't talk to your elders with such disrespect. Especially in a time where-"

"Everyone needs to put in a little effort in." Kid interrupted. Inside he was shaking, but outside he was angry and tried to show that just because he's a kid, doesn't mean he doesn't have godly powers or should be treated with less respect than an adult. "Using our lack of information doesn't give you the right to act like we're not putting in any effort at all. If anything you're the ones who-"

Kid was smacked. Right in front of his father. Did his father do anything? No. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't think of a way to scold his son in public, because that may appear too threatening in the peoples eyes and maybe even make him suspicious. Lord Death could only watch his son being punished in an unrighteous manner. Again, what was he to do? The situation was too complicated, and the only thing he could think of was to speak kindly, politely asking the man not to punish his child in such a manner.

Kid was slightly shocked by the smack, but wasn't going to be placed at a lower level than the man who hit him. He is a god after all. "Fool, you don't have the right to-"

"You better watch your mouth." the man who smacked Kid smacked the little reaper again, this time a lot harder, causing Kid to fall onto the ground. "Know your place. If you're not going to act like a god and do your duty to help this world, than maybe your existence isn't indispensable." he then spoke to Lord Death, ignoring the furious boy kneeling on the ground. "Lord Death, the public believes that you and your son are responsible for the earthquakes. They believe either you're not doing anything about this, you're unfit in your place above government, you're the cause of chaos, or they believe you are doing what you can. They can take you down. What kind of god would stand for that? We kind government are warning you of what is to come. Your son here shows signs of instability, talking like a madman-"

"A madman?" Kid spoke up quietly, not wanting to get up. He stared blankly at the floor. "I am no such thing. I showed signs of my displeasure of your hypocritical tongue and you punished me for speaking my mind. If you want to see what a death god can do," he looked up and stared at the man with calm, yet murderous eyes. "I can show you what you're looking for. You act like you don't want a battle, but inside something's telling me you're urging for a war. What is it with that?"

Looking back to the ground, Kid continued "You have your suspicions about us, but I'm starting to have my suspicions about you. If I play the game like you do, I wouldn't be playing fair. I don't want to become a god that controls with wrath and cruelty. I want to be the kind of god who plays by the rules and punishes the ones who cheat. Who helps his people and keeps them safe, not one who enslaves others and burns the ones with independent minds at the stake. I'll be a balanced god. If you're saying that the idea of balance and following those precious rules is a bad thing, what kind of ruler are you? What kind of rules does this government plan to follow?"

"Balance is overrated." the man looked back up to Lord Death. "There are always winners and losers. From here on, I wouldn't consider Death the Kid to be a stable leader, we can use this against you. Write it down."

One man pulled out a notepad and pencil and scribbled something down.

Lord Death glanced at his son's expressionless face and looked back to the man talking to him. "Don't hold this against him. He did nothing wrong. You're the one who hit him without permission. What my son just said shows he's not a mere child that you can boss around. He's already excelled you in ranks of strength and intelligence, I am sorry to say. What you did is unacceptable. Though my son may have indeed been rude to you. He is not unstable, he's only been troubled by this whole issue."

"It's too late, Lord Death." the man sighed. "The people are questioning yours and his actions, and if you do anything wrong, it will be accounted for. That's only what us good men must do, help the people."

"What exactly do you want?"

"We want nothing. Just the peace these citizens deserve." the man turned around, his back facing the gods. "Be prepared. Your son has said some bad things today, seemingly threatening. If something goes wrong for you, it's his fault for sure. If there is anything you're not telling us, he's someone we can get evidence from I am sure. He may be a god, but he is weak. Careful Lord Death, if you are not, your time may be up."

The men left the room.

"Kid, I'm very disappointed in you." Lord Death turned to his son. "I told you what to do, to keep calm, act like everything is alright."

"It's not, dad."

"Of course it isn't. Now we're in even more danger! You disobeyed me. In a time like this. That was a stupid thing to do!" There was no friendliness in his father's voice and he spoke with a deadly edge. "Get up now, I'm sorry, but clearly something needs to be set in your mind of how you acted today!"

Kid refused to make any eye contact with his father as he got up. "I'm sorry, father. I know what I did wrong and-"

"Reaper-chop!"

Kid got up after being 'chopped' on the head and left the room. He didn't let any tears fall down his face although he was pretty close to crying. He regretting what he said to the government man. He regretted everything that had happened that day. He was rarely punished by his father, but when he was, it was bad. Especially the scolding, which was even more painful than the 'chop' or any other physical thing his father could do to him.

Kid sat in the park all alone, not wanting to speak. He was choked up. When he got home, he ignored the girls and went straight to his room. He locked the door behind him, jumped into his bed, buried himself beneath the covers, and broke down.

That wasn't a good day for anyone. How can a day change so drastically from the morning to night? Such little things can have such great effect, such big things can cause so much bigger. There is a saying that goes for one tiny detail causing an entire web of changes, otherwise known as the butterfly effect. Was this it? Possibly. No one knows. Will the world change again tomorrow? Will this crisis get any better? Everyone slept this night, although a few of them had some trouble getting to sleep, and one of them had nightmares. Things get better and worse. The farther down worse, the better the littlest things seem. The little parakeet showed signs of sickness too soon, and is now a sure target for predators.


	9. Chapter 9

That morning Kid woke up, tired. He got ready for the day and walked out to DWMA with Liz and Patty like any other day.

"Patty, what's wrong?" Kid asked, noticing how off she seemed that morning. She wasn't as smiley, and she wasn't laughing. He hadn't talked to the girls yesterday.

"No reason." she answered, trying to be happy in front of her meister.

"It doesn't seem that way." he pressed on.

"Come on, Kiddo. When you're upset, you don't always tell." Patty giggled "Do you think I'm sad? You're funny, Kid!"

"Give it up, Patty." Liz placed a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "It doesn't matter if he knows."

"Knows what?" Kid raised an eyebrow. "What are you keeping, Patty?"

"Blackstar was being a meany yesterday." Patty answered, waving her arms as she spoke. "He was calling you weak and stuff and I didn't want to hear that! I told him how strong you are, but he was being so rude! He was talking like he only cares about himself! And to think..."

"Huh? Seriously?" Kid sighed as they walked up the super long steps to get to DWMA. "He's being a jerk? I don't mind that he's insulting me because... that's Blackstar for ya'. Thanks for telling him otherwise, but was he being rude to _you_?"

"Yeah."

"I'll talk to him about that. He better not treat you badly. If he does, tell me. What did you do about it?"

"I punched him." Patricia frowned. "He's gonna apologize. Cool guys say sorry."

"Sounds a little like Soul with the whole 'cool' thing, Patty." Kid grinned.

"Soul's a cool cat! You're a cool kitty!"

The three laughed and entered the school building.

Kid had walked passed the death room, tempted to go talk to his father. Something inside him told him not to, to keep walking in order to get over yesterday. He wanted to be stronger in this situation. He had broken down. Breaking down in a time of need is not the proper thing to do when you're a god. The proper thing would be to stay strong. Be brave. Remain calm. Carry on. Holding everything in until what comes out as anger in public turns to depression when alone is not something a god does. Kid didn't even know how his father was taking things, but he chose to ignore that factor and try to enjoy his day.

All of them entered their classroom. Maka and Soul sat alone, talking to one another. It was a nice day today. Blackstar and Tsubaki chatted with each other by one of the windows at the top of the many rows of seats. When Patty saw Blackstar, she grabbed Liz's hand and sat down next to Maka and Soul.

Kid was planning on talking to Blackstar, and he decided to do it after class. He quickly left the room, walking out into the hallway when he bumped into a girl with blue eyes and long black hair and they fell on the ground.

"Sorry." He helped the girl back up. "I haven't seen you before, what's your name?"

"I'm..." the black haired girl blushed and ran into the classroom, saying quickly "My name is Amber, I'm here with Soul."

"What was that all about?" Kid asked himself. He drank water out from a drinking fountain and knew he would be late for class in a few minutes. When he got up from the fountain, he ran into another girl, only this one he knew.

"Oh... I Kid." Crona backed away from him. She rubbed one of her arms and asked "How have you been?"

"I've been well." Kid smiled at the pink haired girl and laughed "And how about you?" Did you enjoy spending time with Maka?"

"I always do." Crona was so much better that it surprised Kid. She smiled in a lively manner and giggled "I was going to hang out with her today, so I better go."

"Have a nice day."

Crona went into the classroom and Kid decided to take another drink of water. When he leaned out of the drinking fountain, he glanced around to make sure no girl was there for him to bump into. He walked back into the classroom and sat himself next to Liz.

Lord Death called Maka and Soul into the death room. The two came in and stood in front of Lord Death. A tall girl stood next to their god.

Amber followed the meister and weapon into the room and held Soul's wrist, whispering in his ear "Who's that?"

Maka heard and grabbed her wrist, whispering into Amber's ear with an almost scary voice "We're going to find out, are we not?"

The three stood still. Lord Death asked Amber how she was and Amber said she was great and enjoying her time and work.

"Maka, Soul, Amber, I'm sure you're wondering who this is." Lord Death sang, clearly talking about the girl standing next to him. "Her name is Akiri Izumi. She's seventeen, so she should be able to help. Maka, you're Japanese, so you two should get along."

Akiri Izumi didn't look that Japanese. She had brown hair that ended just below her shoulders and hazel eyes. One good defining feature that made her look the slightest bit Asian was her epicanthal fold.

The epicanthal fold, or epicanthic fold is common among central Asians, south Africans, and also people with down syndrome. It's the upper eyelid skin covering the inner corner of the eye.

Aside from that, she didn't look very Asian. She had lightly tan skin which seemed to have a yellow tint to it, which could also be an Asian trait. She wore a tight green T-shirt and blue jean shorts. She wore knee-high green boots that laced from toe to top. She was quite skinny and wore a sheath around her waist with a machete inside. Like Soul had when introduced to Amber, he looked at the girl's average breasts.

"It doesn't work that way, Lord Death." Maka smiled at Akiri. "Hello. My name is Maka Albarn."

Akiri smiled at Maka without showing her teeth. She said "Hello, Maka." she pronounced her L's as R's. Was this girl a native? She sounded Japanese...

"I'm Soul Eater." Soul grinned with a very toothy grin. "But call me Soul."

"Soul Eater." Akiri bowed to the white haired weapon, the L's as R's. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"My name is Amber." Amber spoke up quietly. "You can call me Amber, or Lucy. Lucy is my last name."

"Lucy." Akiri repeated. Amber giggled. She was always called Amber, but she asked to be called Lucy because she wanted to hear more of that foreign pronunciation.

"So, how is Akiri going to help?" Maka asked, staring up at Lord Death.

"Well, I'm sending you four back out to the original mess where you found the Dunkleosteus thing. I've got things all planned out with the roles each of you will be playing in this mission. Back at the wreck, I've asked a special graduate from DWMA to set up some scuba gear for you. Kiddies, you'll be going under water."

"So, who plays what roles?" Soul asked.

"Well, where does it start?... Oh yes! Well, you'll all be doing many things under water."

Lord Death explained everything and the kids went off to class, Amber talking to Soul and Akiri chatting with Maka.

Lord Death then called in Blackstar and Tsubaki, with another 'special' friend waiting for them.

"Who's that?" Blackstar asked the minute he saw a tall girl standing by Lord Death.

"This is a new friend for you to make." the god answered. "This is Keira Q. Johnson, she's fifteen and she's here to help."

Tsubaki and Blackstar observed the mysterious girl.

Keira had short dark brown hair and brown eyes. She was tan and wore tight black clothes. Average breast size, (observation made by the one and only Blackstar), and wore black tennis shoes.

Judging by the expression on her face, she wasn't too friendly. She stared into Tsubaki's eyes, making Tsubaki fidget around a little in her spot. Keira practically wore a grimace. You could see that her jaw was not relaxed. The way she fixed her eyes on one object (a wild Tsubaki!) and furrowed her eyebrows. The black clothes she wore glued to her skin. She had a machete by her side in a sheath (that's the second machete today! What's up with these girls?!) and that in itself was frightening. Her hands were barely able to tuck into her pockets and she had nearly perfect posture.

"Hello." Tsubaki laughed nervously, introducing herself. "I'm Tsubaki."

"And I'm Blackstar!" Blackstar shouted. To Tsubaki's relief, Keira was now focused on Blackstar with those judgmental eyes of hers.

"My name is Keira Q. Johnson." Although repeating her full name was unnecessary, she still did it. She spoke with a harsh tone, low, and even. She looked away from the blue haired ninja and looked back at Tsubaki, this time with less judgment and almost a sort of sweetness in her eyes. She barely smiled when she said "You can call me Q if you want. Q, or Keira. Would you shut up?!" Keira snapped at Blackstar, making him stop shouting.

"So, what's the mission Mr. D?" Blackstar turned to Lord Death. The god in front of him ignored the name Blackstar called him, at least this time, and answered his question. "You three will be going to California to investigate the new split of land. Keira will help guide you. She's fond of the area and says she found certain evidence that should help in this investigation."

"I found bones." Keira explained with her smooth, serious voice. "It looked like nothing I had seen before, but it was too close to the bubbling lava that I couldn't reach it. You should be able to, being a meister, Blackstar. There was some other stuff too, all the bones I found were by the lava though. I didn't get to explore the watery sections in California. I didn't get that far, so I decided to buy a train ticket and come down to Death City. I don't believe Lord Death or his son are responsible for this, that's impossible."

"Not impossible.." Tsubaki added. "But it is unlikely that Lord Death would do anything to hurt anyone who doesn't deserve to be punished."

"So it's all settled?" Lord Death asked the kids. "You'll be headed down to California tomorrow, so enjoy yourselves tonight."

"I rented a hotel room with my mother." Keira said. "It's just my mom and I. Our house was burned down by lava since it was in the path of the break."

"I hope everything goes well for you." Tsubaki said with her kindness and concern for the new girl.

"Don't hope." Keira grinned at Tsubaki. "It's downhill for now, and if we have blind hope, we'll get nowhere. We need to be logical and strong if we want anything done." her regular unfriendly look returned. "Right now, I'm your guide. I don't want to get too close to any of you just in case-"

"In case what?" Blackstar asked. For the most part, he wasn't paying attention.

"I don't want to make any new friends because it's most certain that if things continue the way they are, someone I care about will die."

"It's not like _you_ won't die." Blackstar laughed "And I doubt that such a big guy like me will die-"

Keira sighed at Blackstar. Inside she was thinking _What an annoying idiot! _But outside she didn't show much of anything. Unlike Amber, who wasn't one to take charge or judge people much (although she wasn't a fan of Blackstar, especially after seeing the way he treated Patty.) she wasn't afraid to get close to people, and she wasn't that serious either. Even Akiri wasn't worried about making friends in the case that one would die.

Keira was serious, and she wasn't going to fool around. She judged people all the time in a harsh manner, although rarely ever told the actual person how she felt. She's not a very friendly person and naturally gets along with very few people. She was a fighter, she was strong, she was quiet, she is _deadly_. Could she even be kind?

The three left and Keira followed Blackstar and Tsubaki into their classroom. As always, Keira was silent and furrowed her eyebrows at people while she observed them.

Lord Death had called in Ox, Kim, and others to leave a few days and help people suffering from the quakes. Lastly, he called in his son and the girls with slight hesitation.

Kid really didn't want to see his father that day, but he left with Liz and Patty. Once they entered the death room, he wasn't surprised that his father greeted them with his goofy voice.

"What's up?" Liz asked nonchalantly as they stood looking up to Lord Death.

"Nothing much." Lord Death sang. "I've got a mission for you."

"A mission?!" Kid was shocked by the idea considering how the public hated the reapers at the current moment. "Are you-"

"I want you three to go investigate the east end of the new break, in Virginia."

"Didn't the recent quake slice Nevada?" Liz asked.

"Yeah!" Patty giggled. "Mr. Nevada got a haircut! A little off the edges but that's all! We felt it bad! Some houses fell!" She smiled wide and laughed hysterically "It went through Virginia, Kentucky, The bottom of Illinois, through Missouri, chipped Kansas, sliced Nebraska, broke Wyoming's bottom, decapitated Utah, and it shaved Nevada and ripped through California!"

"How do you know, Patty?!" Liz and Kid asked simultaneously, surprised that Patty would know this.

The goofy blonde answered "The internet!"

"Virginia's on the other side of the USA." Kid sighed "I guess we'll be fine. You just want us to explore the thing?"

"See if you can find anything off, anything at all. You can leave in three days."

"Alright." Liz looked at Kid, seeing how calm he appeared despite the trouble he had been through the other day with his father. He seemed... happy. "We'll go in a few days. Anything else we need to know?"

"You can travel as far west as you like along the break, but beware the people around you, Kid. You don't know how they'll react. Liz, Patty, stay safe. Being Kid's weapons means they may suspect you girls as well."

"Got it!" Liz said.

"Yes!" Patty giggled.

"Fine by me." Kid sighed, hopeful that something would turn up to get people off their case. "Girls, let's head back to class."

They left the death room. Lord Death was smiling behind his mask, enjoying the happy looks. Inside he was worried, but no one could see that today. He wouldn't let them. He's just a father trying to do what he can. Would things look up? For now perhaps. But sooner or later things would turn as they have been doing. He watched his son closely, loved him dearly, and didn't want to let him go. He didn't initially want to send him off. He felt the mission was for the best, an effort to distract his son. Was this a good idea? Who knows, what we do know is that something is going to happen. We are simply unaware of what that something is.


	10. Chapter 10

After school ended, Liz and Patty walked home while Kid waited for Blackstar to appear. He leaned against a wall in the hallway, next to the boys bathroom.

Tsubaki walked by with a darkly dressed girl who was a little shorter than she was. Tsubaki noticed Kid and walked up to him with the girl.

"Who's that?" Kid asked Tsubaki.

"This is Keira." Tsubaki introduced her to him.

"Hello Keira, I am Death the Kid. Son of Lord Death." he extended his hand in order to shake hands but Keira didn't respond. He put his hand back down to his side and felt slightly uneasy with Keira staring at him. She looked from his head to his feet, staring at the skull he wore in the center of his collar bones. She then stared into his yellow and gold eyes. He raised an eyebrow. She looked at his sanzu lines.

"Hello, Death the Kid." Keira didn't smile, she just looked at him with the same judgment Kid would look at a corrupt soul with. She turned back to Tsubaki and said "Let's go."

"See you later, Kid." Tsubaki bowed her head, apologetic. Kid knew why. _Keira doesn't seem very friendly. _

Kid saw Blackstar walking towards him.

"Hey Kid!" Blackstar bounced up in front of Kid and yelled "Yahoo! The mighty Blackstar has arrived! I've been wanting to talk to you."

"Same here." Kid's tone was unenthusiastic and Blackstar didn't pick up on it.

"So, are you done with those stupid meetings?"

"Please, Blackstar, keep it down. You don't have to yell, I'm right here. And no, I am not done with those 'stupid' meetings. In fact, I'm not sure where I am in them. But they can't possibly be over. I heard about how you acted yesterday."

"Are you talking about-"

"Listen up, I'm only saying this once." Kid grabbed Blackstar's wrist and pulled him into the boys bathroom, hiding from the hallway.

"What's wrong with you, Kid?" Blackstar asked with a less enthusiastic tone.

"Patty told me how rude you were being-"

"She punched me."

"And you provoked her to do so." Kid stared at Blackstar with anger in his eyes. He spoke it a low, smooth, threatening tone. "You can mess with me, I could care less. I know you're like that, Blackstar. But if you mess with my weapons, the ones close to me, you've crossed a line."

"Gosh, Kid, what's gotten into you?" Blackstar pulled away from Kid. "I realize I may have said something wrong yesterday, but I still don't see why she would punch me."

"You don't get it, Blackstar." Kid faced another direction and sighed "You will probably never understand what you do wrong. Never mind that. Patty deserves an apology. You really hurt her feelings."

"I guess." Blackstar muttered. "I hate to have hurt her, I just-"

"Don't get it." Kid finished for the ninja, still not looking in his direction. "I'm sorry about this abrupt talk, but I needed to do-"

"I still want to talk to you." Blackstar placed a hand on Kid's shoulder, forcing Kid to look at him. "It's been too long since we last talked. I need to tell you something important."

"Go on with it." Kid furrowed his eyebrows, not knocking Blackstar's hand off his shoulder. He didn't care, he just wanted to hear what Blackstar was going to say.

"For a while now, I've been feeling a bit off."

"What do you mean?"

"Last time I saw Patty at your house, I felt weird."

"Huh?"

"Like... I can't describe it."

"Eh?"

"I feel kind of conflicted."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure." Blackstar sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I think I like her."

"Patty?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh my..." Kid wasn't sure how to react to that. Secretly, he had always thought Blackstar would look cute with Patty, but he had rejected the idea. In his mind, he decided that if Blackstar wasn't going to end up with Patty, he would be gay. In which case, rejecting the Patty and Blackstar relationship idea, he guessed Blackstar would be gay.

Kid said "If that's so... I'm not sure how Patty feels about you. But I think she might care... I'm not saying anything for certain, but she cared a lot when you hurt her feelings. Like I said, I have no idea. Guys are known to be bad at figuring these things out."

"I'm going to tell her." Blackstar smiled. "I'm going to tell her I like her, and maybe she likes me back. Who couldn't like the one and only Blackstar?!"

"Someone who hates it when people talk in third person." Kid laughed. "Remember to apologize first. Then maybe she'll listen."

"Got it." The boys left the bathroom and split up as they headed through the hallway.

Kid turned around to a drinking fountain, wanting something to moisten his dry throat. Kids were still heading out of the school at this time. For the third time that day, he bumped into a girl while lifting his head from the fountain.

"Ow!" The girl who yelped had brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Sorry." Kid laughed. The girl was with Maka, Soul, and Amber.

Amber laughed and shouted "That happened to me too!"

"Hey, Kid." Maka smiled.

"Yo. What's up?" Soul asked.

"I'm fine." Kid answered, and looking back at the girl, he asked "What's your name?"

"Akiri." she answered. "I'm here with Maka, Soul, and Lucy to help them investigate." Again, she pronounced her L's as R's. She also pronounced her V's as B's.

"Lucy?" Kid raised an eyebrow. "Who's Lucy."

"Amber Lucy is my full name." Amber smiled lightly. "You can call me Amber, or Lucy. Whichever you want."

"Amber." Kid recognized her from earlier. "Oh yes, you're the first girl who bumped into me today."

"Yes." Amber giggled. "Sorry about that."

"No problem."

Soul asked. "Did you bump into any other girls today?"

"Crona." Kid cocked his head. "She said she was going to hang out with you today, Maka. Weren't you sitting next to her in class?"

"Yes I was." Maka sighed "Well, we better get going."

They all left, Kid walking home on his own. He heard a noise behind him, only this time it was daylight. He ignored it, and heard another noise. Definitely the shuffling of feat.

He turned around and saw no one.

He was back at his house in no time, and decided to spend some time in his beautiful garden.

Meanwhile, Liz was in the mansion watching over her sister. She had seen Kid walk into the garden while she peeked through a clear, clean window. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun and she wore a white tank top with blue jeans and light blue slippers.

"I hate it when he comes home and doesn't tell us." Liz mumbled. She always liked to know where Kid was.

Although Kid was really taking care of her and Patty, Liz had developed a motherly attitude when it came to Kid. Probably because he's not much older than Patty and acts like a child in quite a few different ways.

She rarely ever bugged him about being late or not saying where he's going, because he's their meister and he can handle himself, right? He's strong enough isn't he? He is the target of many greedy people, filled with hate or other stuff. Kid had been taken before by a version of greed. It was Noah. When that happened, Kid was alone. Kid was a kid, he is a kid. And he couldn't save himself.

"He's okay, sis!" Patty laughed as she drew on papers. They girls were in the kitchen and Patty was seated at the long table.

"Right." Liz grinned, feeling something pull in her heart. "He's good to go."

Ever since Liz met Kid, she knew he wasn't like a normal person. Chances are that in reality, he wasn't a normal god. He has the OCD, and other mental issues that are caused by the OCD itself. Such as depression. He could quite literally go mad and had done so before.

Liz didn't always like him, and had agreed to be weapons with him because she could rob him dry of his cash because he was so blinded by the whole symmetry thing that he didn't realize they were taking advantage of him. They still took advantage of him, but he didn't do anything about it.

He had made Liz stop smoking.

Liz no longer did drugs because of him, which she had done on the streets every once in a while.

Patty and her had a home.

He treated them like they were his sisters.

Liz loved him for saving Patty.

Liz loved him for saving her.

The flowers blooming which raised Kid's spirits. It had rained the other night, and the rain makes the flowers grow. The tip tap of rain on a window can ease one to sleep. It's natures lullaby like babbling water. Crickets. Birds. And even the wolves sing the lullaby of life.

What would that make death? Kid smiled up at a singing bird perched up in a tree. Was death the end of that lullaby when the listener falls asleep? No, how could it be? If life makes it's music, does death tune it out or create its own symphony?

Alone and out of the view of anyone around him, hidden by trees, Kid climbed up a low tree branch and sat on it. He could see the beauty of the garden, one of which he tried to make perfect and symmetrical as possible. For the most part it was, but every now and then something would grow out of place. Nature at its finest isn't symmetrical, or is it?

Some clouds formed above head and it began to drizzle. Kid stayed outside a bit longer. He wanted to be part of life's lullaby. Feel the music, and be the music.


	11. Chapter 11

Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Keira had headed off to California to investigate the split. The three of them left early in the morning, meeting up by DWMA before leaving.

They had arrived after a few hours to where the split had reached.

"So... you're our guide?" Blackstar asked Keira. "Do you know where we are?"

"We're where we're supposed to be." Keira answered.

They examined the surrounding, taking in every detail. They were in a woodland area of California, and the damage the break had caused was clear enough. In some sections of the break, little puddles of lava formed. Most of the lava was dried stone by now. Water also came in from beneath the broken earth. A few dead animals lay around the danger zone. Some animals had fallen into the deep slice the break had caused, burned to death by lava or drowning in water without a way to escape.

"I was all around California examining this damaged area." Keira stated, moving along the edge of the ground where if she slipped, she would tumble to her likely death. "I was all over the place here, so guiding you two to the places I found evidence at should be simple enough."

"What if someone removed the evidence you found?" Tsubaki didn't like how close Keira was standing to the edge, but felt an argument would be pointless. Although she thought Keira was an okay person, she had to admit Keira is nothing like herself.

"Most of the evidence was too close to the bottom to be reachable, also, most people chose to steer clear of the break since it was supposedly too dangerous."

"You don't think it is?" Tsubaki turned to see Blackstar taking in the natural view of the environment they were in. "What we are doing now is dangerous. If Blackstar slips while trying to get any evidence in his hands, he could die."

"That is one of the reasons why there are three of us here." Keira gave a slight smile and said "Even though the bottom of this split is a few yards away, I could hold Blackstar's ankles while you hold mine and he can reach for whatever is there at the bottom."

"That's a good idea." Tsubaki's hands suddenly started to sweat. "What if I drop you or you drop Blackstar?"

"In that case one or both of us either die, or are trapped until we figure out how to get them out."

"I see..."

"What are you worried about, Tsubaki?" Blackstar asked, walking up to his weapon. "Everything sounds fine by me! A big man like me wouldn't fall, even if someone dropped him!"

"Here's a nice place." As they had been walking, the meister and weapon were following their human guide and after some time of walking, they found something very interesting.

The same day, Maka, Soul, Amber, and Akiri were heading back down to the first split in the Americas. Maka and Soul remembered the place they were at when Maka had discovered the Dunkleosteus.

"I'm so excited!" Amber giggled happily after they had gone to the graduate of DWMA in order to get their scuba gear. They were now on their way to the Dunkleosteus... at least they hoped the creature was still there. "I can't wait! I can't wait! Oh my gosh I can't believe I'm going to see it! I'm going to see it!"

"Calm down." Soul laughed at Amber's enthusiasm. "We'll be in the water soon."

Out of the four, this is how they were feeling about meeting the Dunkleosteus.

Maka was excited and smiling the whole way there. She wanted to see the creature and please Lord Death with more evidence and maybe new findings.

Soul wasn't too excited. He thought it was cool that they were meeting the giant fellow again, but he didn't like how the creature had rammed into the cave walls leading out, threatening to break free. He was sort of nervous, but still acted cool.

Amber was obviously excited, being the intelligent girl she was. Having researched the species particularly made her an expert considering how much she knew about the thing. Meaning she knew just as much as the scientist who researched it.

Akiri followed the younger kids and didn't really have much of an opinion on the topic aside from what they were supposed to get done.

After they got on suits and all their gear, they had reached their destination.

They jumped under, Maka and Soul were shocked and somewhat frightened by what they found. Amber and Akiri sensed something was wrong, and got what the others were thinking.

The cave walls were broken open.

The Dunkleosteus had escaped.

Back in Death City, Liz and Patty walked around the mall in search of new clothes. Something stylish was never bad.

Patty had picked out more than clothes. She grabbed a stuffed giraffe and begged Liz to buy it. Liz being the sister she is, accepted to buy it.

They tried on clothes, Patty grabbing lots of pink stuff to where. A pink dress, a pink t-shirt, pink pants and shoes, etc. Liz picked light blue stuff to where, such as light blue jeans and a dress of the same color. She already had the brown boots to wear that would match almost anything she bought perfectly color-wise.

"Patty, why don't we pick something out for Kid?" Liz asked her as they walked around, holding bags of bought clothes in their hands. "This is mostly his money. Barely any of it we earned."

"Sissy is feeling generous today!" Patty giggled "Does that mean she likes Kiddo?"

"Likes? He's my best friend." Liz blushed. The sisters stopped walking. "You're a great friend of his too, Patty. We both like him. He's like a brother."

"Yup! Kiddo is a cool brother!" Patty jumped around, her big blue eyes sparkling in the artificial light. "We should buy something for him like you said. But he might not wear it cause it might not be symmetrical."

"We'll make sure to get him something symmetrical." Liz assured, the girls entered a shop filled with cool outfits. "We'll make him look cool."

"We'll make him look cute!" Patty chanted "Cute Kiddo! Cute Kiddo!" as they found clothes suitable for their _special_ meister.

Meanwhile, Kid walked through Death City streets. He felt the need to enjoy nature and the peace the city still carried in this time of chaos.

He walked past a group of kids he didn't recognize when one of them tripped him.

Kid held out his hands to keep from smacking his face into the concrete. The kids behind him laughed and he stood up as quickly as he fell, not looking at the group.

One of the kids put his hand on his shoulder and turned Kid around to face him.

"What's the problem?" The kid was dressed in a poor, dirty, asymmetrical manner. His breath stunk of something rotten and his hair was a greasy mess. Kid was disgusted by the random kid who was probably no older than himself. "Are you tripping up?"

"Let go of me." Kid swatted the attacker's hand off of him while the boy's gang laughed in amusement, even though there wasn't anything funny about what their member said. "I don't need to deal with this nonsense. It isn't worth it."

Death the Kid was about to turn away when a punch was landed in his stomach. He coughed and backed away. He didn't want to fight with anyone. How would that appear to the public if anyone found out? He already screwed up at the meeting.

Would fighting make him more vulnerable?

"Can't a god do anything?" the kid smirked, glancing back at his friends and staring into Kid's eyes. "If you're this weak, how's your father?"

Something Kid couldn't stand was when someone insulted his father. He found that unacceptable. Now this is a unique case. Could he get away without a fight? Or would the gang make him stay and do just that?

Kid had a good idea about the odds of him winning. Against this one kid? No problem what-so-ever. Against all of them? There were at least nine of them. Kid could still take them, depending on where they're from.

DWMA is a big school, and the chance that these kids go there and Kid hasn't seen them is very high. If they're all trained meisters and weapons, either the fight would be difficult to win, or he would be the one beaten.

What if he lost? Would the people of the country have sympathy for him and help the death gods' case? Or would the people join in beating him down to a pulp believing he and his father get what they deserve? Would it show shinigami aren't strong enough to rule in a time of need?

It was too late to decide anything, the gang was ready to fight, and Kid wasn't. At first it was just the one kid attacking him, sending fists into his abdomen. Kid blocked a few of them and wondered if defending himself but not fighting back would be the best option overall.

"Weak." The dirty boy snarled, instead of punching Kid's abdomen, he sent a punch to Kid's face.

Should he fight back?

Kid was made dizzy. When he was punched, the fist had connected to his left temple and cheekbone, sending the shinigami back a little. He pretty much spun around, trying to catch himself. He was now leaning against a building.

The kid was about to punch him again when Kid swung his leg around and kicked the attacker in the jaw.

The boy who had attacked him was sent to the ground. The other gang members stared furiously at Kid.

He wasn't going to run. But was that even an option?

The other members were on him in an instant, two of them dragging their buddy out of the way.

Kid was kicked and punched and found himself restrained by rough grips around his wrists, nails digging into his skin.

He grimaced as he felt bony hands and hard kicks make contact with his body. His face, chest, stomach, arms, legs, everywhere was beaten. It's like a canvas painted red and purple.

His nose was bleeding, he tasted the blood in his mouth. He could feel every inch of him raped with knuckles. He was even coughing up blood. He wasn't crying though. He couldn't fight back by now, he was numbing in a most unpleasant way.

The gang laughed hysterically, every one of them landed at least two punches and kicks. Kid couldn't count how many times the wind was knocked out of him.

They finally released him in a burst of laughter. Kid leaned back against the wall for a few seconds before crumbling to the ground. He gasped for air, his ribs hurt, his muscles... everywhere.

Slowly he got up, despite the world around him spinning. Kid stopped his nose from bleeding any more and he limped home.

He walked in through the entrance, balancing himself as best as he could. He closed the door and went to the bathroom to shower off.

After the shower, he felt a little better. He was in his pajamas. His dizziness was gone, but his body was in distress. He had a severe headache which reached around his entire body in some sort of pressing mass.

Kid laid down on the couch. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of something peaceful. He was too tired to even think. It hurt to breath.

He had to be strong. In this case he was weak.

Kid would try his best to keep the strength of shinigami known.

Tsubaki, Blackstar, and Keira looked down at the lifeless body. What is that?!

"That's not a chicken is it?" Blackstar raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen anything like it."

"That is no chicken, Blackstar." Tsubaki confirmed. "It looks a bit like one... in some ways. It doesn't look like it's from our time."

"That's because it isn't." Keira stated. The body of whatever it was floated in a section of water. "We're going to get it."

"Do you have any idea of what it is?" Tsubaki looked down at the creature. It had feathers. It was relatively long, about six feet. But it's actual height was about the same as a turkey. It had large curved claws.

"I'm no expert, but it looks a bit like a Velociraptor."

"Amber can make sure." Tsubaki went behind Keira and asked "When are we going to retrieve it?"

"Now." Keira sighed "Alright, Tsubaki, grab my ankles. Blackstar, I'll grab your ankles."

Soul and the others were exploring the inside of the cave. The place was filled with water and dark. Maka had brought an underwater flashlight along with Akiri in case something like this was to happen.

Soul didn't want to explore the place anymore. He was worried that the Dunkleoseus would appear out of nowhere and they would be trapped.

Maka and Soul shared a flashlight while Akiri and Amber shared one.

_If the Dunkleosteus was down here, _Amber thought _does that mean another prehistoric creature could be down here?_

Soul and Maka looked at the sides of the cave while Amber and Akiri went forward. Going down wasn't much of an option in this unprofessional case.

Akiri spotted something on the wall in front of her and realized it was only a smashed dead fish.

Maka saw something at the top of the cave, only to find it was clams.

They exited the cave, and after removing their gear, headed off to the hotel Maka and Soul had stayed at when they had gone here the first time.

"It's gone." Soul yawned, jumping onto a bed. "What does that mean?"

"It means it has escaped." Amber answered.

"Thanks, little miss obvious." Maka was tired, but she wasn't giving up yet.

"Hey you two, don't start anything." Akiri warned. "I don't want to deal with an obnoxious fight."

"We're not fighting." Amber looked at Maka with a sad expression. "I know what I said is obvious. I really wanted to see it. This isn't the end of things! If the Dunkleosteus was alive there, that means there may be others of its species that are free in the waters and it could mate and reproduce!"

"Why are you excited about that?" Soul asked from the bed. He noticed there were only two beds in the room the four of them were staying in. "Isn't that a bad thing?"

"It could be, but I can't help but feel happy that it is free." Amber was all cheers because of the fact that a _dangerous_ prehistoric creature was _free_.

"Fine." Maka noticed the bed issue too and brought up the topic "Who's sleeping with who?"

"I'm fine sleeping with Amber." Soul grinned and in a most uncool way said "She's pretty hot and I wouldn't mind-"

"Maka-chop!" Maka was at his bedside with a book to his skull in seconds.

"Ow."

"You deserve it."

"Oh my..." Amber mumbled to herself while listening in on Soul and Maka's conversation. She was all red in the face and spoke up "I'll sleep with Akiri!"

That night ended quickly. Soul and Maka were stuck next to each other while the girls were fast asleep.

"Sorry about that." Soul sighed.

"I'm not." Maka turned to face him. But when she did, their faces weren't even an inch apart.

"Maka..." Soul was blushing like Maka.

They both faced opposite directions that night.


	12. Chapter 12

Liz and Patty walked into the mansion, at first they didn't notice Kid sleeping on the couch covered in bruises.

Liz had set her things down in the kitchen with Patty when Patty ran out.

Patty called "Sissy! Come here!"

At first Liz didn't think much of it. She was getting a drink of water when Patty finally shouted "Kid has purple patches!"

"What?" Liz nearly dropped her water. Knowing her sister, she could decipher what Patty meant. Someone may have thought that Patty had colored on her meister, but no. Liz knew that Patty meant bruises.

She ran over to where Patty was and was shocked to find her meister sleeping, covered with bruises. Why so many? His breath was ragged. He had rested a hand on his stomach and the crescent shaped punctures showed he was grabbed quite viciously. One of his eyes was a light purple, while his cheeks and cheekbones were the same light shade.

His body heals on its own after all. These won't last long.

"Kid?" Liz sat down on the couch next to where he lay. He was such a slender figure that Liz had plenty of room to sit. Hesitantly, he touched his hand. It looked like one of his fingers was broken. His middle finger._ Did he even realize it was like that when he came home?... When did he come home? _

His eyes barely opened. His irises meet hers and Patty's.

"Kiddo?" Patty watched her meister closely with concern in her eyes.

"What happened?" Liz asked impatiently. She needed to know who did this to him.

"Don't worry." Kid's voice was hoarse. "It won't happen again."

"But what _happened_?" Liz continued, furrowing her eyebrows in a need-to-know sort of way. "How did this happen?"

"I was attacked." Kid answered, now his voice was steady. "I chose not to fight back. That was foolish of me. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do."

"Why wouldn't you fight back?"

"In this situation, even though there were so many of them. I should have fought back. The problem is, what kind of impression will that leave?"

Liz understood what Kid was getting at. "We should tell your father, Kid. He could help-"

"No he can't." Kid leaned up and cringed at the pain in his chest, falling back down on his back. "We're not going to tell him. We're not going to tell the others. I'm not risking anything."

"Kid, even though you heal fast, you're in bad condition." Liz looked down at the hand with the broken finger. "Move your fingers."

"Why?"

"Just do it, Kid."

When he tried, his middle finger wouldn't budge. In fact, he felt numbness in that finger and along the bone it connected to in his hand. Was it the bone itself that's broken or the tendon moving it?

"Ha! Kiddo's finger is broken!" Patty laughed, starting the color papers on a coffee table in front of the couch her meister lay on.

"I don't care about one finger." Kid did feel some OCD coming on, and he was tempted to break his other middle finger.

"Fine." Liz stood up off the couch. "Stand up and walk around."

"Of course, Liz. Why wouldn't I be able to-" Again he leaned forward, trying to sit straight, but the moment his upper back was off the couch, he flopped back down with a terrible pain in his chest and stomach. "One moment please." he casually rolled himself off the couch, landing on his front side against the floor with a thump. He let out a cry of pain.

"See!" Liz was quite upset. Even angry. "Are you seriously so willing to prove a point as to throwing yourself off a couch when you can't even lift yourself up? Knowing it would hurt?!"

"Sissy," Patty spoke up. Looking at her sister with her big blue eyes. "Help him up."

Kid was trying to get up, pushing himself off the ground with his arms and a grimace set on his face. At first he would lift himself a good five or six inches off the ground using his knees to help balance himself. Then his arms would start shaking, and he would immediately fall back to the ground, letting out a yelp when his chest slammed to the floor.

"Right." Liz lifted him up by his arms so he was standing. "Idiot." she mumbled, laying him back on the couch.

"I'm sorry." Death the Kid sighed. "I'm serious when I say don't tell anyone. We can't have any information leaking out about this."

"Alright." Liz sat back on the couch, scooting him closer to the inside of the couch. "We won't tell anyone. We won't _tell _anyone. But if one of our friends gets into our house and sees you like this, it isn't my fault."

"Thank you, Liz." Kid yawned. It was so late. "Why don't you girls get some sleep?"

"That's right. It's almost midnight." Liz smiled, kissing Kid on the forehead. He blushed a little and Liz brushed his bangs away from his face.

Grabbing a blanket off of a close chair, she tucked him in.

"You don't need to do that." he said.

"But I want to." was Liz's answer. She went to Patty and said "Come on, let's go to bed." and the girls did just that.

Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Keira had found the dead Velociraptor. They had done what Keira suggested and managed to grab the dinosaur. Blackstar held it while Keira and Tsubaki leaned over the side of the slop and grabbed close fossils and abnormal bones.

"I think we have enough evidence." Tsubaki said. She had brought along a bag to put whatever they found in. They had placed everything inside once the bag was almost full, and Blackstar had some difficulty placing the long raptor inside.

Tsubaki covered the bag with colorful tissue paper as if it was a gift so people couldn't see what was inside.

They headed back to Death City. They had so much new evidence it was startling.

Maka and Soul woke up in the same bed in an... awkward position. Soul and wrapped himself around Maka that night, and Maka did the same with Soul. They were hugging as they slept, arms and legs intertwined.

When the two woke up, they were breathing into each others mouth, not an inch apart. Their noses touching, and their foreheads pressed together.

Maka screamed, and Soul was literally kicked off the bed.

Amber was standing by the end of Soul's bed, watching the two. "So cute!" she giggled. "I wish I had some of that!"

"What an interesting way to sleep." Akiri said, sitting up on her bed. "I've never seen anything so... adorable."

"Soul!" Maka yelled. "What did you do last night?!"

"What are you talking about?!" Soul argued back, rubbing his head which had slammed against the wall when Maka kicked him. He was sitting on the floor. "I didn't do anything! If anything you're the one who kissed me last night!"

"Kissed you?!" Maka was a dark red and had an evil smile on her face, making Soul shrink back against the wall. "I... kissed you?!"

As the two bickered and Maka Maka-chopped, Amber and Akiri held their own little conversation while watching the magic happen.

"You think that's cute?" Akiri asked. "It was cute until they started fighting."

"It's still precious!" Amber's eyes sparkled, a weird smile on her face. "Abusive relationships can be so adorable!"

That made the room completely quiet. Maka and Soul stood up with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"What the hell..." Soul glanced from Maka to Amber again and again._ What's wrong with her?! _"Amber... why?"

"I was joking!" Amber held out her hands in front of her, suddenly super defensive. "Abuse isn't cute! I think you two are, though."

Now that changed the subject. Maka and Soul looked into each others eyes. For a moment in seemed like they were mesmerized by the other. Then they looked away, scoffing.

"Let's get some work done." Maka instructed "We'll eat some breakfast, head over to the scuba guy, get on our gear, and explore a new section of the break."

"Why not the cave again?" Akiri asked.

"We found nothing last time." Soul replied. "There's nothing in there from what we're aware of that will contribute to this mission."

"Wow Soul, you suddenly sound smart." Maka commented as they all readied themselves for the day. The girls changed in the open room while Soul changed in the bathroom.

"Did you think I was stupid?" Soul laughed "That's not cool, Maka." He poked his head out of the bathroom door to catch a glimpse of the changing girls, only to see Maka's flat chest in his face and feel a book spine connect to his head.

"Soul you perv!" Maka screamed. After chopping him, she kicked him back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

"Thanks, Maka." Amber giggled.

"What a naughty kid." Akiri said.

"He's a shark!" Amber pulled on her skirt.

"He really is." Maka, for once, didn't find Amber a threat. Wait... why was Amber a threat again? Maka didn't even know. She added to Amber's shark comment "He's got the teeth for it."

When Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Keira arrived back in Death City, they headed straight to the death room with their evidence.

"You found all of this?" Lord Death had Spirit examine the fossils and the Velociraptor carefully.

"I think Amber should be able to identify all of these." Tsubaki said.

"She should hopefully." Lord Death sighed "It'll be a few days before Amber and the others get back, so until they come back, we won't know what these are."

"Oh well." Keira shrugged "It won't be long. We could always look it up on the internet."

"By the way," Blackstar ran up to Lord Death and asked "How have things been with the whole world blaming you and stuff?"

"Not the whole world, Blackstar." Tsubaki corrected. "Just... most of it."

"I haven't had to deal with many interviews. I would actually like you kiddies to go investigate the break in Nevada."

"Alright. That's simple." Keira nodded. "We are in Nevada, so I don't see why not."

"Got it!" Tsubaki turned to Blackstar and asked Lord Death "Is there anything specific we should keep an eye out for?"

"More fossils and stuff like this dinosaur thing." the god answered. "So... nothing new."

The three were off for their next mission.

Death the Kid had healed overnight, Elizabeth and Patricia were pleased.

"You're so lucky." Liz commented as the three of them walked through city streets. "You know... how you heal so fast."

"Sissy!" Patty ran up to a store that was filled with stuffed animals. "I want them! I want them!"

"Kid?" Liz asked her meister.

"Fine." Kid smiled. "Don't buy her the whole store, though. I may be rich but I have my limits."

"Thanks." the girls entered the store. Kid stood out on the street without anything to do. "They're gonna take a while." He said to himself.

He entered the store and told Liz he was going to the park. She warned 'be careful' and the girls explored the fluffy toys lined across the dark green walls.

Kid walked along a path surrounded by trees, breathing in the fresh smells nature had to offer. It was surprising that Death City was surrounded by miles and miles of bare desert and yet in the actual city nature thrived.

Birds twittered and he saw a few squirrels. Today was going to be a good day. Right? Everything was peaceful like it had been when he went into his garden and listened to all the sounds. But would things remain this way?

For now he was happy. He was happy because the girls were happy. Only very small tremors had happened since the last split occurred. If only he could make the people of the world happy.

Meanwhile, Maka, Soul, Akiri and Amber were underwater in their gear and exploring the new islands made by the land pushing out into the ocean.

At first they didn't see anything too out of the ordinary. They then spotted a new terror.

It wasn't trapped.

It wasn't even the Dunkleosteus.

It can't be.

Amber couldn't breath when she saw it. She forced the others to swim out of the water and get onto land.

"What wrong?" Maka took the gear off of her face like the rest of them.

"You don't get it. You saw it too didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You really know nothing about prehistoric life."

That comment angered Maka. "I thought it was a-"

"Does any modern underwater creature look like that?" Soul asked Maka, siding with Amber on whatever the thing was. Akiri just stood there, confused.

"I'm going back in." Amber announced. "Come in with me if you want to get a good look at it."

"But you made us get out." Akiri said "Isn't the thing dangerous?"

"Fool! Of course it's dangerous!" Amber was serious about getting back in. "I need to look at it again to make sure what I saw is what I think it is."

"Fine." Maka sighed, putting her head gear back on. "If I die, you're not going to my funeral."

"If you die, chances are I'd die too." Amber grinned. "It's something from millions of years back. If you die, we all die."

Now isn't that reassuring?


	13. Chapter 13

Amber entered the water with the others. The creature was still there swimming as if it was confused... it probably was confused considering it's a prehistoric creature trapped in a modern world.

Maka got a good look at the beast and wanted to get out of the water. Soul didn't let her. He grabbed her wrist and the four swam closer to the thing.

The four couldn't believe what they were seeing, and only Amber knew the name of it.

The fish thing was forty-some feet. Way too long to be modern! The creature looked kind of like a monitor lizard, but was streamlined and elongated. It had scaly skin and a crescent-like things on it's tail. It's body was stiff but it's tail propelled it with great force.

They got out of the water, and Amber's beliefs were confirmed.

"It's a Mososaur." she stated after they arrived to their hotel. "They can breath air and live in warm waters. Very powerful swimmers."

"How long ago was it alive?" Soul asked.

"About twenty million years during the Cretaceous period, they were one of the strongest marine creatures. The largest known of their kind reached up to fifty-seven feet. The smallest only eleven."

"You've got to be kidding me." Maka sighed "Why on earth are these dinosaurs coming back?"

"Isn't that what we're trying to find out?" Akiri laughed "We're working on it as best we can. There's no need to rush unless something bad happens."

"That's _why _we are rushing!" Maka yelled in frustration, grabbing her pig-tails in her fists. "We're trying to keep bad things from happening in the first place!"

"Calm down, Maka!" Soul walked up to his meister and placed his hand on her back. "Getting angry isn't going to solve anything."

"I don't care if it does or doesn't!" Maka swiped Soul's hand away. "I'm going to get rid of my anger by expressing it!"

"Therapeutic." Akiri smiled "That's a good thing, right?"

"No..." Soul shook his head, leaning his forehead against his palm. "When Maka's angry, it's scary."

That day, Tsubaki, Keira, and Blackstar were in northern Nevada. Sand spilled into the caving earth the split had ripped apart. This part was deeper than in California and finding anything would be unlikely.

"It's so hot." Keira sighed, regretting having worn so much black. "It's like my flesh in burning off. My skin is peeling."

"Don't get sunburned." Tsubaki patted the younger girl's back. "It's times like these where you forget to bring sunscreen."

"It's not the matter of bringing it." Keira corrected "It's applying it that counts."

Keira had not spoken much at first, and almost never did. Never did to anyone but Tsubaki, that is. The girls, although quite different when it came to kindness and friendliness, were similar with one or two things. They were both quiet. They were both calm.

Tsubaki hadn't realized at first how calm a soul Keira was. It wasn't until she witnessed Keira's reaction to the Velociraptor incident that Tsubaki realized Keira would come in handy in more ways than one.

She was a quick thinker and had a plan.

She didn't freak out when Tsubaki nearly let go of her ankles. Instead she ignored the mistake like it hadn't even happened.

Blackstar didn't like Keira, and Keira didn't like Blackstar. Now it was _those_ two who were polar opposites.

Blackstar never really has a plan to anything and acts out in a dangerous and stupid manner.

Blackstar is far more self-centered than Keira, he can rant about himself non-stop and find nothing wrong while Keira would say little about anyone, none the less say anything about herself.

Blackstar is noisy while Keira is quiet.

Blackstar thinks he can do anything while Keira sees her own limits.

No wonder the two didn't get along.

Keira was greatly annoyed by anything Blackstar did as well. With the judgments she made in her mind, she figured the blue haired ninja out pretty quickly and didn't like things one bit.

Predictable.

Loud.

Self-centered.

Not the best personality trains one can have.

"Are you worried about falling in here?" Tsubaki looked down... the bottom is so far away.

"Even trying to reach anywhere past this edge is too dangerous." Keira replied, keeping away from the edge. "This sand... It's only a matter of time before our feet sleep from beneath us. Chances are we won't find anything. Chances are if we did it would be all the way at the bottom. Chances are that if we tried to reach whatever may lay at the bottom, one or two or maybe all of us would fall to our death. If reaching the Velociraptor was difficult in California, reaching whatever we may find here in Nevada is _impossible_."

Blackstar laughed when Keira said 'impossible' and announced "Nothing's impossible when the mighty Blackstar is around! There's no way that I'd let anything go wrong!"

"I don't know, Blackstar..." Tsubaki trailed off. She couldn't get a word into Blackstar's head. Tsubaki trusts him with all her heart...

But sometimes Blackstar is simply too ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Liz and Patty bought some stuffed pigs and kittens. They didn't see Kid around the park and nothing of him came up.

"Oh well." Liz gave a bright look despite the dread building inside her from the recent things that had taken place involving Kid. "More shopping for us."

At that time, Kid was walking as he had been. He was daydreaming of random things when he heard the footsteps again and whirled back. He was sick of those footsteps.

Once more, he heard them and turned around. Where was it coming from?!

Again he heard it. When he turned around... nothing. He was about to turn back when a rag went around his face.

If this is chloroform, it shouldn't work immediately on him. He is a reaper after all.

A rough hand was placed over the rag, covering his nose and mouth. He was going to act. He needed to.

He was panicked, and was somewhat tired all the sudden. He managed to force whatever had the rag around his face away from him, the rag falling to the ground.

He gasped and turned to see a man he recognized.

He knew who this guy was.

It was Arthur.

That dude from the IHK.

"What..." Kid wasn't thinking straight... or was he? He didn't like the Arthur guy, but was the man the one who put the rag over his mouth? "Why are you-"

"Don't bother." Arthur interrupted, a venomous air to his voice, his hands tucked behind his back. "Fighting it won't do you any good."

"Fighting what-" When Kid heard the scrambled feet coming and surrounding him, his heart sunk. He knew it was too late.

Grown men in the business suits, most likely coming from the IHK circled the helpless shinigami.

The men grabbed his arms and punched him once right above his belly bottun. Kid coughed, the wind knocked out of him. He bowed forward, trying to calm down in order to think clearly.

He looked up at Arthur with murder in his yellow and gold eyes. Focusing on the man he planned to kill once he got the chance.

He tried to break free of their grasps, but they were too strong and he was overpowered. An arm went around his neck and he was choking. The rag was picked off the ground and once again placed over his mouth and nose.

Aside from hatred looming in his eyes, there was fear.

Arthur could sense both and laughed "It'll hurt less if you don't fight back. We're not going to kill you, we're just borrowing you for a few hours."

As if that made Death the Kid feel any better. In some ways one could say knowing that you're not going to be killed is reassuring. He wasn't any more calm, though.

Like he had back when he was beaten by the gang of piers the other day, he refused to cry.

Even as more terror than anger filled his body, soul, and mind. He did not cry.

Even as his eyes fluttered shut and he blacked out.

Not a single tear was shed.


	14. Chapter 14

"I hate how everyone is acting all the time!" Maka yelled. She said she would get rid of her anger by expressing it. "Why is it in a time like this, people don't even act seriously?! You all say you want to help Lord Death, but are we even getting anywhere?"

"Maka, one moment please." Amber went to Maka's suitcase and pulled out the underwater camera Maka had brought to take more pictures of the Dunkleosteus. Maka hadn't taken the camera with her after they found out the beast had escaped. "Why don't we go back and take some pictures of the Mososaur?"

"Let me finish! In the name of Death do not interrupt me when I'm having a moment!"

"Okay..." Amber shrunk back behind Akiri and said "I'll just use this Japanese girl as a human shield."

Soul started "Maka, you don't need to-"

"Shut up, Soul! Stop interrupting me!"

"Fine. Go on."

"I hate how Amber's..." Maka stopped. She really wasn't sure how to feel about Amber. The girl was crazy for crying out loud! She's so smart and yet so... weird. "I'm not even sure what to think about you, Amber!"

"That's alright." Amber smiled, still shielding herself with Akiri. "I'm not so sure about myself either."

"Akiri, you don't take things seriously enough!"

"That's understandable." Akiri admitted. "But I'm distracted by you younger kids all the time. You're entertaining."

"Soul!" Maka turned to her weapon, fire practically spewing from her mouth "You're a pervert and if you don't stop trying to catch a shot of Amber's boobs I'll split your skull open!"

"Don't be so violent, Maka." Soul sighed. "That was only one time. You're scary like this. If we told you how we felt about you, do you think you would be happy? You're upsetting everyone and it's really obnoxious."

Maka jumped back down onto her bed. She didn't know why she was so upset. Hormones maybe? If anything, Maka was angry at the people around her because for some reason she felt singled out.

Even though Soul had slept next to her, he was taking Amber's side instead of hers.

Akiri didn't do much at all, even though the older girl had come in handy a few times.

Amber wasn't too serious either, and was too smart. Even though Maka's a highly intelligent girl, anyone as smart as herself could be seen as a threat to her self-esteem. Maka's self-esteem came from accomplishing goals and being called smart, or the smartest. Intelligence is key in her mind. So if another person with equal or even more intelligence than herself comes along, she naturally finds them threatening. When Maka had met Kid, she knew he'd probably be smarter than her. He usually was. Depends on the topic. The topic issue was the same with her and Amber. Amber was extremely educated on prehistoric life and those time periods while Maka had pretty much skipped over the subject entirely.

"You can go into the water and take some pictures of the thing." Maka buried her face in her pillow. This wasn't the first time she went into a bad state of mind and felt bad about herself. "I'm not going."

"You sure, Maka?" Soul asked, walking up to the bed and placing his hand on her head.

"Yeah." she assured. "I don't want to go."

"Alright." Soul sounded disappointed. He turned to the others and sighed "I guess we'll be going on our own."

"That's okay." Amber said in a quiet voice. "I think it's safer we go without a moody Madam."

The three left, leaving Maka alone in the room.

Liz and Patty went home, and saw that Kid wasn't there.

"He'll be back!" Patty laughed "He always comes home late!"

"True." Liz smiled. Hopefully her sister was right.

Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Keira were back at Death City. They found nothing on their mission.

"I don't think anything is here in Nevada." Keira stated to Lord Death as they stood in the death room. "We found nothing."

"If we found anything, we wouldn't be able to reach it." Tsubaki sighed "There isn't much we can do, Lord Death."

"That's alright!" Lord Death sang. "The evidence you kiddies found alone is wonderful and we're working on solving everything."

"Are you sure things are going to get better?"Blackstar asked. There was a dark quality when he spoke that made Tsubaki shudder. Why was he so serious all the sudden? "If you don't prove your innocence, authorities could take you down."

"Sadly, I'm not certain how things are going to play out." Lord Death admitted. "As long as important people don't find anything wrong with my son and I, things are okay. But, if they get a hold of any evidence of anything bad about us, we're screwed."

"How would they get a hold of any evidence against you and your son?" Keira asked.

"I don't know." Lord Death faced the ground. "But I have a bad feeling... If anything, they would go for someone who knows what has happened and may hold a thing or two against me. Someone who's words would be certain and everyone would have to take seriously."

"Who's that?" Blackstar asked.

"You really need to ask?" Tsubaki turned to her meister, shaking her head. "It's Kid. He's a credible source and might be used."

"He would never say anything though." Blackstar had a troubled look on his face.

"That's what I'm bothered about." Lord Death used a more serious tone. "It's the things they could do to make him talk that I'm worried about."

Speaking of those worries... let's check up on Death the Kid.

Kid woke up, he was strapped to a chair and in a dark room. A bright light was shined in his face and he saw there were men around him. Arthur was right in front of him, his body darkened by the light behind him.

Kid was restrained by his wrists, his palms facing up. His ankles were tied to the legs of the chair and some belts were wrapped around his waist and chest. His elbows were also tied down to the arms of the chair like his wrists.

"Release me." Kid demanded, his head was pushed back against the chair he was on and held by a rough hand placed against his forehead so he faced up, the front on his neck exposed.

"Fool. You think we would go through the struggle of getting you here just to let you go on command?" Arthur made a very good point. What scoundrel would release their victim by the victim simply asking for them to be released? "We're going to use you to get something we want."

"And what would that be?" Kid asked. He showed little signs of fear or struggle. It was as if he accepted whatever would be done. Was this a show of strength? That if he didn't show signs of terror, things would be easier? He would prove he wasn't weak? He wouldn't give in quickly or even at all? "If you're trying to get information from me, you're sadly mistaken. You see, there's nothing you can do to me that would make me say anything... Not like there's anything to say."

"You're not going to give in easily. We already took that into consideration."

"In that case, what do you plan to do?" Kid laughed bitterly. "I've already been kidnapped, it wasn't any fun. They weren't even trying to get me to spill information. He did it because he was greedy. He did it because he was greed."

"What we're going to do to make you talk is give you a _little_ injection."

Arthur pulled out a syringe. It was big. "We had to triple the dose twice. We didn't know how your body would react to this, and we had to make sure it would work. So any after effects are unknown. We've never injected a human with this drug, none the less a death god."

"My body rejects-" Kid didn't finish. The needle was plunged into his left forearm. It stung. It was painful. It hurt even more when Arthur pushed down on the plunger and slowly injected whatever the clear fluids inside the syringe were.

Kid's stomach twisted and his mouth opened in a gasp, hyperventilating. His head didn't have to be held back by force anymore, it was held back on its own. His gold and yellow eyes wide open.

It hurt too much. It made his body tremble.

What kind of injection is this?!

After the injection was complete, his head dropped forward and he didn't even realize he was drooling. The effects of the injection weren't pretty. There was so much fluid in the object that it traveled through his blood in a matter of seconds.

His mind was anything but clear.

A sound soul dwells within a sound body and a sound mind.

He was not sound. Not one part of him.

Before he realized it, he was a drugged up version of himself. It was like someone put him under laughing gas, only this didn't make him happy, this filled him with pain, dread, and confusion.

"This wears off after a few hours." Arthur grinned "Most of it, anyways."

It was like a dreamland. He was trapped in a sepia toned dream. Every once in a while a voice came through of a grown man that sounded like he was yelling at him. He was yelling a question. The sounds of screams came through too. They were a constant noise and unpleasant to Kid.

Was he floating in space? He was bound to the chair, but it didn't feel that way. A horn blew in the distance. Was he actually dreaming? Was it all a dream?

"Where am I?" Kid asked, his own voice sounded so quiet in the screaming environment. Bloodstains on the ground. Black feathers floated through the air. Static along with yells. Were they yelling at him?

He felt cold. He was drained of energy. His movements either hurt or felt like air. He screamed to see what would happen and his ears bled.

Where is he?


	15. Chapter 15

The world is endless. As black feathers rained from the skies, puddles of blood bubbled up from the ground.

The endless sepia sky. When the wind blue, it filled Death the Kid's ears with screams and chilled him to the core with an icy bite.

He walked for a long time, forcing himself through either air or glue. Bones ached. And the twisting in his abdomen did not cease.

As the yells grew louder along with the screams, he felt a pounding in his skull. He _heard_ the pounding in his skull. Even than grew louder and more unbearable with every step he took into the unknown.

Was he thinking? Barely. His mind was scattered like fall leaves.

_Why am I here? _Kid wondered. But even that thought was lost after a few seconds.

As long as everything looked the same, was he in the same place? At all times? Was he anywhere at all? Had he died? He reminded himself that this wasn't supposed to kill him. But like all his other thoughts, it was lost in the wailing wind.

He came up to a stop when he bumped against what seemed to be an invisible wall. A mirror. He saw his reflection and the world behind him in the reflective glass.

He heard a female scream, and pressed against the mirror as his legs gave out. He unintentionally cracked it.

Green gas came from the cracks. The cracks spread and spread like a spider's web. What was Kid to do? What could he do? Nothing. He already knew there was nothing for him to do in order to stop the asymmetrical cracking of the mirror. Seven years of bad luck? Damn it. Good thing this is a dream... right?

He managed to stand up with shaky legs. He pressed harder against the glass, and the whole things shattered into millions of tiny shards.

He fell forward into darkness, the world now surrounding him was black. Endless. He fell onto what seemed to be solid ground. The ground he stood up on was green. A sickly green.

He walked into what seemed to be the middle and was horrified when after examining the green floor, he realized he was walking on an image of a dead bloated face. Does the face bloat when you die? Probably.

Kid suddenly sank into the ground like he was sinking into a mixture of water and corn starch.

He ended up falling again, back into a world of sepia. Only this time, he saw what he was to land on.

A sea of eyeballs.

He sunk into the sea, unable to keep himself afloat. How could he? His arms felt like the were breaking. His entire body felt like it was breaking.

He entered the eyeballs with open eyes, looking back to see any nerves still attached, the eye color, those little red veins.

The further he got, the eyeballs grew less and less as he entered a sea a blood. Some eyeballs sunk in with him and floated around in the water, each one staring at him.

Dread filled his body along with agonizing pain.

Like in regular water, the deeper he sank, more pressure was forced onto his body. His ears popped. Were they bleeding again? He could see in the sea of blood, but he couldn't tell if his ears were adding to the fluids. His eyes felt like they would squish out of their sockets.

The sea of blood ended and he landed on a sandy bottom, still beneath the gallons and gallons of red fluid.

He turned onto his stomach, facing the sand.

Instead of a regular sandy color, the grains were gray.

He tried to dig through with all his might. It was nearly impossible to move.

Kid grew more and more panicked with every second. He couldn't breath and it felt like he was about to explode. He managed to dig a hole. Beneath that hole he could see another giant wall of glass just waiting to be shattered.

He pounded on the glass. He lost his strength and now forced himself to move his locked limbs. That hurt so much.

In desperation to breath, he opened him mouth.

He couldn't close it. Even as he swallowed endless supplies of iron tasting blood, he was unable to stop. It felt like his chest was about to bust.

As he grew more and more panicked, he hyperventilated, taking in more blood.

He crippled over, the pain wasn't bearable.

With soundless screams of agony, he beat at the glass with any energy he had left. Coughing, he wanted to throw up. He couldn't do that with all this stuff around him.

The glass cracked, and shattered, releasing the sand, himself, and the blood plummeting onto an invisible floor into another sepia world.

The impact he suffered on the ground made him throw up instantly, having landed on his front side.

He was riddled with tears. The tears were tinted pink.

He was back in sepia. The blood and sand spread out around him. He flipped onto his back, wailing, blood being choked up and spat out of his mouth. Throw up dripping out of the corner of his mouth.

The screaming returned along with the yelling. The ground was the same color as the sky. Everything was scary now. Kid couldn't close his eyes, not even blink. His poor eyes burned.

Birds... vultures... they flew down squawking. Where did they come from?

The birds surrounded him, staring at him with beady eyes. As if looking through his soul.

One of the birds came up to him and started pecking at his eyes. He attempted to swat the bird away but more birds came. The ripped at his living flesh. Although vultures are scavengers and eat carcases. Could they see the difference if the living meal is death?

He cried. What else could he do? His body was rendered useless. He couldn't move. Veins were bitten through. His delicate eyes, the two most delicate things on his body, symbols of being a reaper, were pecked out despite his screams. His fingers were twisted off and talons ripped into any fleshy parts of his body such as his thighs, upper arms, and abdomen. Beaks stripping him clean of any meat and leaving bone.

He was alive and awake. He could see despite no longer having eyes. He was viewing his body from above and below at the same time. Two different view points. He felt every rip no matter which body he was in, victim or viewer, and screamed.

His shirt was torn off and his stomach was ripped open. The vultures pecked out his innards. Taking his intestines, and any other organs.

The birds pecked inside his mouth once they got everything out of his chest and stomach, taking his tongue. They ripped his neck apart. They left nothing behind.

They even broke into his skull though his eye sockets and ate what they could of his brain.

Once the vultures were done, they flew away. His body was nothing but a lifeless carcase of nothing.

He officially transferred viewpoints. Kid was in his body... was he in two bodies? The one he's in now is definitely a live version of the other body that was eaten.

He really did feel everything and still felt it in his renewed body. The world he had been in suddenly vanished, like some sort of space movie, it looked like he was traveling at light speed.

Blackness swallowed the old, and he floated in the empty space.

That space around him changed after he let out a cry. Was something still pecking at the body he left behind?

A giant hand grabbed him and squeezed. Kid screamed in return, closing his eyes.

The hand gripping him shook him around, rattling him like a child with a toy. Two giant fingers grabbed Kid's head and gave it a light squeeze. The other hand let got and now he was dangled by his skull.

He was in a different world. Wasn't he? Racked in sobs, confusion, and pain, he heard those loud booming questions again as he was dropped back into a completely sepia world. Nothing surrounded him but that sad color.

"Father!" he cried, placing his hands over his ears and laying on the ground in a ball. "Father! Help me! Help me!"

The questions came again. He answered each and every one of them. He found himself babbling off about his lonely childhood, his father, every depressing thing that came to mind. Everything he felt translated in slurred cries.

Back at the mansion, Liz and Patty ate their dinner without Kid.

"He's been gone for a really long time now, hasn't he, Patty?" Liz asked her sister.

"Yeah." Patty was starting to worry too.

"I hope he comes back soon." Liz looked out of the dark window, night time.

"He should be home." Patty smiled "I think he'll be on his way wherever he is."

Meanwhile, Blackstar decided to visit the mansion without Tsubaki or Keira.

He had intended to apologize to Patty, but things kept getting in the way.

He knocked on the door and Patty answered.

"Hi, Patty." Blackstar said quietly, a small smile across his face. A guilty smile if anyone else had seen it.

"Hi, Blackstar." Patty giggled. "What are you here for?"

"To apologize. I was a real jerk a few days ago and-"

"That's okay." Patty assured. She grabbed Blackstar's wrist and the two went inside.

Liz glanced in their direction but didn't bother to say anything.

Patty sat with Blackstar on a couch and said

"I've missed you."

"Same here." he said. "Where are the others?" Blackstar asked out of curiosity.

"Liz is in the kitchen." Patty had a sad look on her face. "Kid hasn't come home."

"I could go find him." Blackstar was worried, so was Patty. "Why hasn't he-"

"I don't know." Patty stood up, taking Blackstar with her. "Will ya' find him?"

"Yes, I will."

"Go then. I want him home."

"Got it." Blackstar was on a new mission to find their friend and bring him home.

"What was that about?" Liz asked her younger sister.

"He's gonna go get Kid." Patty answered, taking a seat.

Soul and the girls got some pictures of the Mososaur and went back to the hotel room.

"Maka," Soul started. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes." Maka sighed, sitting up on the bed. "I just-"

"Don't worry!" Amber laughed, jumping up and down in the bedroom "We got the pictures and we can go back to Death City!"

"Great." Maka smiled, not really enjoying Amber's enthusiasm. "Tomorrow we can go."

"Sounds like a plan." Akiri yawned. "It's about time we get back."

"Right." Soul sat down next to Maka. "We can take a break every once in a while, you know?"

"Yup." Maka was upset about being interrupted, but didn't say anything else.

Late at night, Kid woke up, tied to the chair as he had started. Staring into the white lite shined in front of him.

He was so tired and shaken up, all he did was cry, the pain still there.

"We have what we need." Arthur laughed "Men, release him."

The men around Kid untied the young reaper.

Kid was flung out of the chair after a minute of hyperventilating, trembling, and not moving.

He landed on the floor, barely able to keep his face from smashing against the ground. He was in such a terrible state he let the men do whatever with him without fighting.

They picked him up, trying to stand him, but he couldn't walk. The man's arm went around his waist and lifted him, holding his head up.

Something was injected into Kid's right shoulder near his neck, and the whole world appeared as if he was on some sort of strong psychedelic drug.

Dark rainbow colors formed on every object and he felt like he was floating. He was released onto his feet and couldn't stand without leaning against something. A smile came over his face and he laughed, all bubbly from whatever drug they gave him.

"He won't remember anything that happened." Arthur told his men. "The only thing he'll remember is taking this drug. He won't remember who or what gave it to him. Everything is set. We can take them down soon."

A man covered Kid's eyes and left Kid outside somewhere in Death City. They left him by the basketball court. At least, that's what it looked like. Kid couldn't tell anything from anything, he was numbed and didn't have a single wit with him.

He moved around like he was drunk, laughing stupidly.

It was when Blackstar found him by the basketball court things got really weird.

"Kid, what happened to you?" Blackstar asked the swaying Kid. He saw how his friend moved and laughed and had red puffy eyes. That could never be a good sign.

"Who're you?" Kid slurred, leaning against a telephone pole.

"I'm your friend Blackstar." the ninja answered, concern in his eyes. He went up to Kid and put the shinigami's arm around his shoulders, supporting his friend as they started their way to the mansion. "What did you take, Kid?"

"What do you mean?" Kid laughed "I didn't... what? Take what? Ha ha ha! I don't know, but it sure is good." Kid's breathing didn't sound good, his breath came in deep, raspy, and sometimes quick gasps.

Blackstar was _very_ worried. Whatever drugs his friend was on couldn't have a good after-effect. Who drugged him? Kid wasn't one to take drugs at the random. He wouldn't take drugs in general. Whatever drugs he was on must be strong too, since shinigami aren't supposed to be able to take these things and get effected.

They got to the mansion and the girls were shocked by Kid's condition.

Liz had used drugs before, and this wasn't like anything she had taken in her life time. She helped Kid off Blackstar and lay him on a couch. Her bubbly meister laughed at everything.

"Thank you so much, Blackstar." Liz hugged the blue haired ninja along with Patty. "Who knows what could have happened if you hadn't found him."

"He's a friend." Blackstar left shortly after.

The girls took care of Kid that night. After the bubbly, colorful effect of the drugs wore off, it exposed a very sickly effect.

Liz had to take Kid to the bathroom and keep him form throwing up anywhere but the toilet.

Now since her meister was aware of things, he apologized non-stop. Saying he had no idea what happened. Lucky for him, Liz believed him.


	16. Chapter 16

Maka and Soul woke like they had the other morning in that same awkward position. Like before, Maka kicked her weapon off the bed.

"Maka, you need to stop kicking me off the bed." Soul sighed, sitting up on the floor. "It hurts, ya' know?"

"I don't care." Maka crossed her arms over her chest. "Like I would care for a perv like you."

"Is that really necessary?"

"Sure. We can say it is."

"Yikes." Akiri yawned, sitting up in her bed without waking Amber. She stretched out her arms and asked "What time is it?"

"Judging by the clock," Maka turned to an electric clock on the nightstand in between the two beds. "It's 7:46AM."

"Perfect time to get packed." Soul stood up, taking his dirty clothes and shoving it into his suit case.

"Come on, Soul." Maka shook her head at the mixture of clean and dirty underwear. "You need to clean up better than that."

"No I don't." Soul sighed, continuing this action. "I'm just being quick about cleaning, nothing more, nothing less."

"That's gross." Akiri had placed all her dirty clothes in a plastic bag in a neat and orderly manner. "Who throws everything in one big pile? That is _dirty_."

"I do." Soul laughed "It's not _that_ bad."

"Someone wake up Amber." Maka instructed, looking at the sleeping girl. "She'll take forever if we don't get her up now."

"Wake up, Lucy." Akiri shook Amber lightly, the black haired girl opened her eyes and giggled. Apparently Amber still found Akiri's pronunciation funny.

The four got their things ready and decided to take a bus back to Death City, Nevada.

That morning, Blackstar woke up with Tsubaki. Keira had spent the night at their place and was sleeping on their couch. Why had the brunette done this? They didn't have a clue. Tsubaki was fine with it, though.

"Good morning, Keira." the weapon said sweetly when she saw Keira sitting up on the couch, reading a magazine. "How are you this morning?"

"Fine." Keira gave a weak smile and turned to the older girl. "Did you hear the news?"

"No."

"I was listening to the radio earlier and the president of the United States of America said that if Lord Death doesn't figure out what's going on along with the rest of DWMA, the government will take over."

"Wasn't that already a constant threat?" Tsubaki asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Well, yes, this is true..." Keira closed the magazine she had been reading, a hunting magazine, and stood up. Facing Tsubaki she said "There has been another split through India. And another split in the Americas' is bound to occur any time now. Last night there was a slight tremor. But that tremor shows these earthquakes are not over. It's possible these quakes have just begun."

"They've been going on for a while now." Tsubaki shook her head "It doesn't make sense that this would be the beginning."

"It is believed what we have already experienced is the beginning of the worst." the fifteen year old explained. "Many still believe that the shinigamis are the cause."

"Why would that be?"

"I don't know. You tell me." Keira sighed, looking towards the kitchen. "My speculation is that the government is trying to enforce the idea that the shinigami are causing this madness in order to gain power."

"The only government that would get power by doing that is the USA government, isn't it?" Tsubaki raised an eyebrow.

"That's not completely true." Keira admitted, leaning her elbows against the head of the couch. "Lord Death holds one of the highest ranks in every country. He is god after all. He's higher than the president. But, when you lower his position or remove it completely, there is a lack of order in people. To exterminate the control shinigami provides in society, you are destroying the natural balance our two death gods provide for us. In doing so, it can create a social madness."

"But that is impossible."

"Not even close to impossible, Tsubaki. When the people are turned against the ones in charge of them, it can create fear. People question the government already, and that isn't a bad thing. The bad thing is that the government itself is managing to move these peoples' anger to another place, the death gods, in order to keep rebellion from occurring to them. They are directing all the attention on the gods. If the gods lose power, not only does the threat of being overthrown decrease, but it gives any government more power. This is _not _a good thing."

"Does lord Death and Kid know?"

"Of course those two know." Keira stated bluntly "That's why they are trying to prove otherwise. It is because they are in a delicate situation that they're being so careful. The earthquakes are helping the government blame the gods, even though the true reason these quakes are occurring is unknown."

"This sucks." Blackstar spoke up. He grabbed a telephone and pressed some buttons, lifting it up to his ear.

"Who're you calling?" Tsubaki asked.

"Patty." was Blackstar's answer.

"Why?"

"I... Cause I can. I feel like talking to her."

Blackstar told Patty to go down to the basketball court so the two could spend time together, but Patty said she was busy with something important.

"What is it?" Blackstar had asked. "Oh, by the way, how's Kid?"

"_He's okay!_" Patty giggled on the other end. "_We're going on a mission up in Virginia, so it may be a few days until we get back_."

"You're going on a mission? Good luck. By, Patty." Blackstar set the phone down. Tsubaki could see he was upset. Keira and her were told about Kid. Tsubaki couldn't help but be concerned for her friend.

Back at the mansion, leaving to Virginia was difficult.

They flew fast as a plane on Beelzebub, perfectly balanced.

"Slow down, Kid." Liz warned as the wind around them blew hard.

"Why?" Kid asked, excitement in his voice and a wide smile across his face. He felt far better from yesterday, but ever since he woke up, something was very off.

He heard screaming in his sleep, and when he woke up, he heard a faint squawking of birds. He had hallucinated feathers falling out of nowhere for a minute or two and then it all disappeared. Something felt familiar in that hallucination, but he just shrugged it off.

"We're going a little... fast."

"Don't worry, Liz." He laughed, enjoying the view from where he flew. "If we fall, Beelzebub will catch us."

"True." the older blonde admitted. In weapon form she felt safer. With Kid she felt safer. But being so high while speeding through the sky wasn't something she could take so easily. Flying... okay. But at the speed they were at? Not so much. "But please, slow down."

"Fine." Kid did as asked. Now they went at a not-so-fast-not-so-slow speed. "You good, Liz?"

"Better." Liz watched her sister stare at the fields they were above. Everything was so beautiful today! "I can't wait to get to Virginia."

"Ha! Yeah!" Patty giggled "We can see new dinosaurs!"

"Good thing we're up high so no one can hear that." Kid said, facing forward. "As long as we don't run into any storms, it'll be smooth flying for now."

"I could go for some fine flying." Liz closed her eyes, daydreaming about nothing in particular. "Ah... What a wonderful world."

Amber, Maka, Soul, and Akiri were back in Death City. They entered the death room.

"Hey kiddies!" Lord Death sang. "Nice to see you! Find anything?"

"We did." Soul grinned. "Show him, Maka."

Maka walked up to Lord Death with her camera. She showed him the pictures of the Mososaur.

"What is this?" Lord Death asked, leaning over the pig-tailed blonde and looking into the camera.

"That's a Mososaur." Amber walked up next to Maka and explained "It's a prehistoric creature that thrived in the Cretaceous period."

"How long is this?" Lord Death cocked his head and said "It's hard to tell when on such a tiny screen."

"This one was at least forty feet long." Amber answered, a thoughtful look on her face. "They're very dangerous like the Dunkleosteus."

"That won't do." Lord Death sighed "But it's not like we could just kill it."

"We must preserve it if anything." Amber turned to Akiri for no real reason. "If we can, we hide it from the rest of the world. We can't destroy it. That would be terrible."

"What if we had to?" Akiri asked the younger ebony haired girl.

"I won't allow it." was her answer. "Even if I can't do much, I'll risk my life to protect them. Honestly, I'd rather it be alive than us."

"What?!" Maka grabbed Amber's shoulders, barely holding the camera in one hand. "Are you crazy? You would rather have a beast live than fellow humans?"

"What am I supposed to tell you. That I regret having my opinions? It's like how some people love their pets more than people. Unless these creatures start to reproduce and grow in large amounts, I'm not willing to kill any of them. Besides, this contributes to science. For the sake of knowledge, what good would come from killing it?"

"None I suppose..." Maka looked down at her feet. She was really starting to dislike Amber. "But if it kills people, it's not my problem."

"It was never your problem in the first place." Amber sighed, looking at the angry blonde. "Right now nothing is in our control. Acting as if you're in charge doesn't make anyone happy."

"Enough girls." Lord Death stopped the girls from any arguments and said "For now you can all take a break. Calm down. Relax. If another break occurs, I'll call you four and send you to wherever it is."

"By, Lord Death." Soul waved his hand as they exited the death room. "Girls can be crazy."

When Kid, Liz, and Patty arrived at the sight of the break in Virginia, they instantly found something mysterious.

Unlike reports they had heard, this area broke upwards in some sort of volcanic-like mass. It definitely was not a volcano, but it looked like one.

Kid flew on Beelzebub to the top of the thing and carefully stepped onto the soft dirt. Beelzebub vanished into his arm (or wherever Kid sends it to) and the girls remained in weapon form.

Trees surrounded the upward break. The break formed up like large flat-topped mountains for a little bit. A tree grew on the one Kid stood upon, and he leaned against it breathing in the fresh air.

"It's more humid here than in Nevada." Kid stated, taking in another deep breath.

"Arizona, Nevada, those places are too dry." Liz said "It's nice over here in the east. Maybe we can take a quick trip to Brooklyn while we're at it."

"Look Kid! Everything's so pretty!" Patty shouted in a happy tone. "I wanna go out of weapon form and play down there with sissy!"

"Not now." Kid sighed, standing up straight. "And don't think about getting out of weapon form now. If you do, it's a long fall down."

"Fine, Kiddo." Patty puffed out her cheeks "I still wanna play!"

"Later, Patty." Liz finished. "Alright, let's explore."

Kid took a step forward on the soft dirt. It didn't look too safe. There was a hole on the ground, showing that what he stood on was thin. Where he stood was up high, maybe twenty feet. The hill was steep... If he fell and couldn't bring out Beelzebub in time, he could break something... even die.

"Kid, what are you standing around for?" Patty asked. "Aren't you gonna investigate?"

"This doesn't look that stable." Kid stared at the dark hole in front of him. Should he be up here without Beelzebub?

It had been hours of flying, but he wasn't tired one bit. He wanted to see the extent of damage. He needed to. He placed his hand back onto the tree behind him. Was this a good idea?

He heard the click of what sounded like a gun.

He looked down and saw a fat man dressed like a farmer pointing a shotgun at him.

"You're name, son?" the man asked, he sounded a little country. Do all eastern people sound like that? Or is it just him? "I asked your name, boy."

"Oh..." Kid wasn't sure. Was that something he should answer?

"If you don't answer me, I'll shoot ya' down."

"Hold on..." Kid sighed "My name is Kid."

"Get down now!"

"W-why?"

"Do it or I'll shoot ya!"

"Why would you-"

"One!"

"Hold on! Do not interrupt-"

"Two! You won't live if I count to three!"

"What the hell?!"

"Four!"

"Um... you skipped-"

"Three!"

The weird man was about to pull the trigger when Kid took a step to his right, unintentionally breaking through the dirt. He heard a gunshot and fell into darkness, the light from the hole in the ceiling shining on him as he fell, and fell, and fell.

He landed in water, sinking deep, and saw something that took his breath away.

It was like a colorful world beneath warm water, filled with different species of fish and plantation. Crustaceans.

But something about those creatures were off. Kid could tell. Their appearance and everything wasn't modern.

Were they... prehistoric?


	17. Chapter 17

For a second all he saw was thick red fluid, and then it flashed back to water. He swam up and took a deep breath. Kid swam to a rocky edge and pulled himself up onto the surface.

"Kid, you okay?" Liz asked, the girls leaving weapon form and standing by his sides.

Their meister was soaked. Kid was clearly displeased by this. His clothes clung to his skin.

"I'm fine." Kid smiled. Despite being totally wet, he was pleased by the find. "We can take pictures of this place. Didn't you see some of the fish down there under water? Those look prehistoric to me!"

"And all these plants!" Patty giggled. Although their wasn't any dirt, some colorful plants still grew on the moist rock floor and walls in random patches. Those plants weren't familiar to the three.

"Wow." Liz was astonished. Light shined through the whole they created when Kid broke through the thin dirt surface of the ceiling. Two large holes one the sides of the deep water lead a river system past where they stood in the cave. Even though the large cave they were in was surrounded by wet stone, they would have to swim through the water and past the two side exits that water went through to see anything else. "I hope you brought a camera, Kid."

"Of course I did." Kid pulled out a small waterproof camera from one of his pockets and held it up. He was kneeling next to the edge, leaning over and facing the water. He held the camera in front of him and dunked it underwater, snapping a shot of any odd fish thing that swam by.

"Careful, Kid." Liz yelled at Patty "Don't touch anything, Patty! It might be poisonous!"

Of course Patty was poking just about everything. She's Patty. What do you expect?

"That's right." Kid said, not looking away from the camera screen. "There is a likely chance that something you touch is poisonous."

"Okay, Kiddo!" Patty stopped poking things and asked "Can I go swim?"

"No." Kid and Liz answered simultaneously.

"Can I pet that dragonfly?"

"Dragonfly?" Liz and Kid looked to where Patty was pointing.

There was an abnormally large dragonfly placed against the opposite wall of the cave. It's body was a pale green and it had large greyish eyes._ Are those things on it's head eyes? Probably not. It must be one of those trick things insects do. _Liz thought to herself.

The dragonfly had about a two-feet long wingspan.

"Even now that makes no sense." Kid spoke to no one in particular, taking a picture of the dragonfly when the creature had its wings stretched out. "Insects from prehistoric times were their size because there was more oxygen back then than there is now. If this bug is here now, how come it isn't the size of a regular dragonfly?"

"Ask Amber about all these pictures you're taking." Liz said, glancing at her meister. "She might be able to identify those fish and this dragonfly's name, too."

"Let's name him Bob!" Patty giggled, hopping up and down "I wanna name him Bob!"

"Quiet, Patty." Liz shook. She was afraid that something would attack her, or she'd get sprayed by some poisonous gas from one of the strange plants. "Kid, take your pictures and let's get out of here."

"I'm going to search this place as much as I can." Kid sighed, looking back at Liz with his usual calm expression. No smile. "This evidence might help father and I. We're death, not life. We can't resurrect what has been dead for millions of years like some necromancer from what I know. I'm going to take what I can and choose things wisely." He smiled, a brighter look coming on. "Why don't you and Patty play a quiet game if you don't want to risk anything? The faster I get things done, the sooner we can leave."

"Okay..." Liz shivered. "But mark my word, Kid. We are not spending the night here. The sun is burning, I just know it's after noon."

"Just because it's past midday doesn't mean we don't have hours on our hands." Kid stood up and started taking pictures of plants. Now he had a serious look. "Let's just get things done and keep our hands clean while we're at it."

Meanwhile, Maka and Crona went to see a movie. The theater was practically empty. The two took seats at the top center, right below the projector.

The room darkened. They had gone to see a horror movie without telling anyone.

Crona wanted to test how brave she could be, and Maka wanted to do that too. With everything that was going on, they couldn't think of anything scarier. The movie was called '_The Man Who Is Slender_'. (Get the reference? Sure you do.)

Couldn't be too scary, right? But isn't that the point?

At the same time, Soul and Blackstar had gotten together to see the same fantastic movie as Maka and Crona.

They sat in the front, not noticing the two friends in the back.

Akiri and Amber had gone out to get ice cream because... they didn't have much else to do, really. As the day winded down, they did as well.

Keira and Tsubaki went to the mall. Why? Tsubaki wanted to show Keira some pretty, colorful clothes at _Marcy's_.

Although Keira had rejected the idea at first, she figured there wasn't anything better to do for the rest of the day.

The girls talked while picking out dresses and outfits and such. Tsubaki realized Keira was just as rough as she had seemed and wasn't one for cute things. But when Keira tried on a pretty short green dress (was forced to try it on), Tsubaki had to buy it for her. It was so adorable!

It was later in the evening when Liz and Patty went into weapon form and into Kid's hands. He took out Beelzebub and flew up out of the cave. The man with a shotgun was no longer there and Kid flew to a hotel where they had arranged to spend the night.

Skateboarding along a foreign street with his weapons in hand, Kid felt safe. Some people gave him weird looks, but he didn't mind. As long as they didn't threaten him or try to shoot him, he was good.

Arriving at the hotel, the girls got out of weapon form and they signed in for the night. The sun had set and they spoke about the cave while in the hotel room.

There were two beds placed against the wall, one in each corner. Opposite the beds was a long table and a small TV. The walls of the room painted a dark yellow, the bed sheets a creamy white. Not the best color combination. A coffee machine was beside the TV along with a microwave.

Facing out from the bed, there was a window on the left wall while to the right was the entrance to the room. Next to the entrance was a bathroom, which the second bed to the right was closest to, separated by a wall.

The carpeting was a dark red. Thus completing the unnecessary detailed description of the hotel room.

"That was something." Liz sighed. Hungry, they had gone to a local store and bought ramen and bottled water. A small fridge was next to the long table in a corner which they had placed the water bottles in in order to keep cool. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Remember not to speak to any strangers about this." Kid warned. Laying in bed, having had his meal for the night and showered, he grabbed the remote from the nightstand beside him and turned on the TV to a news station.

"I know, Kid. I've been listening to you the whole time." Liz rolled her eyes. She was going to be sleeping in the bed with Patty. "I've known what to do since this situation started."

"Just making sure." Kid turned to his older weapon, his older friend, and laughed "This really is an amazing discovery, though."

"It's so cool!" Patty giggled. "I wanna go again!"

"No, Patty. Tomorrow we'll look around the area a bit more, and then we're going right back to Death City and showing father our findings."

"Ha ha ha! We've got it all planned out!" the short haired blonde hugged her sister tightly and said "I wanna play again tomorrow!"

"Sounds good, Patty." Liz looked over at Kid and back into her sister's big blue eyes. "We can do that."

After the movie had ended, Crona was squeezing Maka so tightly the pig-tailed blonde could barely breath.

The girls left without noticing Soul and Blackstar cowering next to each other.

Tsubaki went home. She had bought Keira the dress that looked super cute on her and she bought herself a pretty dress as well. Keira had gone to her apartment. She said something about her mom always being with her and that her mom always wanting her to be around. Tsubaki didn't notice until she got in a hot bath that Keira probably wouldn't wear the dress she bought her.

Now that's a waist of money, is it not?

Amber and Akiri had their ice cream and walked around in the park a little bit before they headed home. Amber to Soul and Maka's apartment.

When Amber entered the apartment room, she was greeted by human Blair. She hadn't enjoyed human Blair that much because the seductive kitty was always wearing skimpy clothes. Sometimes she wasn't even wearing clothes!

"Oh hi, Amber!" Blair ran up to her and hugged the girl tightly. Amber struggled to get away from the large set of breasts smothering her.

"Hi, Blair." Amber got away from the magic cat and sat on the couch, turning the TV on.

Blair closed the door and sat next to Amber, going back to cat form.

"You like kitty-cats, Amber-Chan?"

"Chan?" Amber remembered the whole _Chan _and _Sama_ and _Kun_ thing was Japanese or something and sighed. "Oh right. I like cats, but I'm more of a dog person."

Blair didn't talk to Amber for the rest of the night.

After midnight in Virginia, Kid had just turned off the news and was about to go to sleep when Liz got up from her bed. Patty sleeping. She got into bed with Kid.

"What's wrong?" Kid asked quietly as Liz cuddled up next to him.

"Nothing." Liz said with a smile. She hugged her meister tightly. "I guess... I just want to be with you more often."

"Why?" Kid played around with her long blonde hair, twisting it around his fingers in the dark. "Usually that's opposite of what you want to do."

"I've been missing you. Worrying about you." Liz sat up and scooted up in the bed so her head was next to his. He stopped playing with her hair and placed his hands back against the bed.

"I understand why, but don't worry. I'm sure father and I will get through these accusations and the world will stop screwing around with these earthquakes." Now that was unusual optimism.

"When we get back to Death City, I want to spend the day with you."

"Oh..." Kid felt heat rise up in his cheeks, a smile creeping up on his face. "That... I wouldn't mind that one bit. Let's do it."

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Um... sure."

"Goodnight, Kid." Once again, Liz wrapped her arms around her meister. He wasn't sure what to do at first. It was rare to be hugged... and this was all new. Why exactly was Liz doing this? He liked it though, despite his confusion.

"Good night, Liz." he turned to face her. He wrapped his arms around her neck while she did the same with his waist. They felt each others breath on their face and fell asleep calmly.

Everything was peaceful. The night was filled with good dreams.

Everyone slept well accept Maka and Crona, who were officially scarred from the movie.

Even Soul and Blackstar had some trouble finding their happy place.

In times of trouble, you can find peace in the smallest things. Those good things can start small and grow into something beautiful like a seed turns to a flower or a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.

Tonight was right. But tomorrow? Despite the sweet dreams, the fine day, things will keep going. And things get worse. How worse?

You'll find out. And it isn't pretty.


	18. Chapter 18

Early in the morning, Kid and the girls had gone to search for things.

It was as if last night never happened. As if Liz hadn't slept in Kid's bed. They avoided the subject when Patty asked because they may end up talking too long and getting distracted. They had enjoyed each others company, but now wasn't the time. They had work to get done.

Maka and Soul were at the basketball court with Blackstar, Crona, Tsubaki, and Amber. Akiri and Keira weren't able to come because Keira was spending time with her mom and Akiri needed to talk to Lord Death about something.

The six were standing in the center of the court facing each other. Blackstar held a basketball in one hand and pointed at Soul. "You'll be a captain along with me. Come on, let's pick teams."

"Okay." Soul stood next to Blackstar and looked over at his friends they would be choosing as team mates. "Blackstar, you pick first."

Once the teams were decided, Blackstar was with Maka and Tsubaki while Crona and Amber were on Soul's team.

After a short game, Soul's team winning, they noticed Ox and Kim walking towards them.

"Hey, Maka." Ox said in his nasal, smart-guy tone.

"Oh... Hi, Ox." Maka asked "How have you been?"

"Well, I and some other students-"

"We went on a mission to find out people's reactions to the catastrophe." Kim interrupted. "Turns out people aren't happy."

"Not like we didn't know that-"

"Barely anyone we had visited sided with Lord Death. It's weird that so many people lost trust in him."

Maka nodded in agreement.

The sun was setting and the air was warm as ever. Some gray clouds covered the sky, showing rain was near. "But you can't change opinions that easily. I understand why they would feel like that. Even so, it's still upsetting."

"Hey, Soul." Kim turned to Soul. The white haired, red eyed boy was cool as ever, resting his hands in his pockets and looking at the pink haired witch.

"Yo, Kim."

"How have you been?"

"Uh... I've been good. So... yeah." There wasn't much to talk about, and Kim soon lost interest. She quickly said hi to Crona and then pulled Ox away from the six, bored to death.

"Who's that?" Amber asked, standing there dumbly, confused. "No one introduced us..."

"That's Kim." Soul answered, facing Amber. "She's Ox's girlfriend. Isn't she, Maka?"

"Yeah." Maka answered. "They got together, but they still aren't very public about it."

"So Ox is the guy with pointy rods on his head?" Amber stuck her two pointer fingers up by the sides of her head. "Like an alien."

"Yeah..." Tsubaki walked up to Blackstar and rested her arms on his shoulders and looking up. "Hey, we may want to go. It looks like it's gonna rain."

"Oh yeah." Soul and the others faced towards the darkening sky and shortly after, they headed home.

Blackstar ran into the bathroom and got undressed, taking a hot shower. He looked at himself in the mirror as the glass fogged up.

Something felt wrong. There was something off.

It wasn't him. He seemed perfectly fine. Was there something on his mind bugging him?

"Nothing..." Blackstar mumbled to himself, shampooing his blue hair. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the water hit the tub. "What is it?" he opened his eyes. Nothing abnormal about his surroundings. "That slender dude movie?" He laughed "It must be that creepy stalker man on my mind."

"What are you up to?" Tsubaki knocked on the bathroom door, hearing Blackstar talking to himself. This wasn't the first time he had talked to himself loud enough to hear, but it was weird whenever he did.

"Yeah, I'm good." Blackstar called over the shower noise.

_It's nothing. _Blackstar assured himself. Giving up on the feeling. _I'm sure tentacles make everyone uneasy._

It wasn't until after ten at night that Kid and the girls arrived to Death City and entered the death room. They explained what they had seen and Kid gave his camera to his father for Lord Death to show Amber.

"Good job, kiddies!" Lord Death sang to the three, gleefully taking the camera. "Amber's already identified the Velociraptor and various fossils. She's been such a help. I bet we'll have things sorted in a few days, Kiddo."

"That would be great!" Kid was happy for once since Asura. Since he found out what his father did not tell him... that Asura... "I hope you're right. It's been so long since things have been good with us."

"Are you sure?" This time it was Liz without optimism. She was planning to spend the next day with Kid. All day, just the two of the. But something about the death god's optimism was too much after everything that had happened. It wasn't... right. "How do you prove to people you can not be the cause of everything?"

"Oh sissy, don't be such a downer!" Patty puffed out her cheeks and said "Look at the bright side alright? Mr. Shinigami-Sama's got it all figured out. Right, Lord Death?"

"I just hope what I had in mind works..." Lord Death's brightness faded off, although he still spoke in the same goofy voice. "Some more earthquakes have occurred these past few days and it's possible another split will occur."

"Hopefully it doesn't happen soon." Liz sighed, taking Kid's hand, surprising the young death god. "Well, we'll be heading home now. By, Lord Death!"

Liz and the others left the room and were walking home. It was night, the sky dark and clouded. It began to rain.

"Don't catch a cold, girls." Kid hadn't let go of Liz's hand since they left the death room. She had her fingers entwined with his and showed no signs of letting go until Kid dropped his hand to his side and Liz no longer had a hand to hold.

"Oh well. What happens happens. Isn't that how it is?" Liz faced her shorter meister. He had a raised eyebrow and opened his mouth as if he was about to ask a question, but then he would shut it, certainly reluctant to say anything more. "What's up, Kiddo? Cat caught your tongue?"

"I don't know." was all Kid could say. He had something on his mind that made him feel weird. Jittery, even. He shook his head, forgetting what he had planned on saying.

"Kid! Kid! Why are you being shy?" Patty hugged her meister tightly. She was at his left side while Liz was on his right.

"P-Patty, let go please." Kid managed to pry the blonde from his body and Patty giggled uncontrollably. "Come on, let's get home."

When they arrived at the mansion, everyone did the routine bed readying like any other night and fell asleep shortly after.

The rain singing them to sleep.

Kid tossed and turned in his bed. He was asleep, but wasn't dreaming of anything pleasant.

You see, despite his immediate reaction after being rescued from a greedy man's clutch and showing everything was okay, he was scarred from what happened in that dark place.

A man turned to him, Noah. The man who had sucked him into the book of Eibon.

He was bound by his wrists and in the same church place he had been trapped in. He had showed little signs of breaking for the most part while kidnapped, but he showed little signs of anything when it came to anything at anytime and anywhere. Usually, that is.

Gopher, that stupid teenage kid who had beaten Kid constantly while he was trapped stood behind Noah.

Was Kid back in that dreadful place? Had he been sucked into the book without noticing? He panicked. He was saved, wasn't he? He wasn't back with Noah, was he? He couldn't be.

Noah took out a small knife and approached Kid with that same calm, yet menacing soul and smirk on his face. Noah touched Kid's forehead, lifting Kid's bangs out of the way.

Kid's eyes were half closed, staring into Noah's greedy eyes. A sickening feeling spreading over his body.

"You're mine." Noah took the knife and began carving into Kid's forehead.

He felt the blade pierce his skin. Noah was carving his name into Kid's forehead. That's what he was up to.

Kid muffled any cries of pain, his jaw set in a grimace. Blood covered his eyes and he saw nothing but red.

The red nothingness seemed familiar. Not from the book or Noah, though. Something else. Not Asura. What was it?

Something... a blade dug into his eyes one by one and his poor eyes were gouged out. He felt it. He felt the nerve connecting his eye to his brain separated.

How did he know how that felt. Was this happening now? Was this a dream? Had that happened before at somewhere he can't remember?

Kid screamed bloody murder, jolting up in his bed. It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare. He breathed quickly and lightening flashed, making his bedroom light up for a moment, then fade back to dark shadows.

The growl of thunder made his shudder, and he was racked in sobs. It was a dream. Just a dream. But it felt too real. He muffled any noise he made with his pillow. Shutting his eyes tightly.

Why? That red nothingness was familiar. But what else? He had dreams about the kidnapping and being held captive often. He often woke up panicked, but rarely this bad.

"Please..." he begged into the pillow, trembling in fear. "Liz... Patty... someone..."

Sometimes when you go through something as traumatic as a kidnapping, or witnessing a death, there are mental scars that cannot be healed easily. Sometimes those wounds are impossible to mend. Being trapped in the book of Eibon and held captive was enough to leave some permanent damage to his delicate frame of mind.

Liz entered his bedroom, she had heard his scream. This wasn't the first time. The only people who knew how badly Kid was actually effected by what happened was Liz and Patty. Liz hated how Kid acted as if he was certain about his strength. He often denied the idea of getting hurt while on his own. But Liz was no fool. Kid wasn't ignorant. He had logic and knew that even being a god, he was not invincible. His denials and assurances of being strong or weak or safe seemed to be a way of coping with what happened. He was powerless in that situation, and being at his status he needed to show the people around him that he isn't one you should mess with and deserves respect.

It is his way of coping while people are around him, but at nighttime, he can't prevent what comes to mind.

Liz sat next to him and rubbed his back, silently reassuring his safety. Once he was calm, Liz was about to leave the room when he spoke up from the bed

"Um... Liz?"

"Yes, Kid?"

"Will you..." he seemed tongue tied again, but managed to finish his sentence with "Sleep with me tonight?"

"Hmm..." Liz thought of it for a moment. Patty isn't bad with storms. The girls were used to them and had grown strong since the bad days. "Of course."

This wasn't her first time sleeping in Kid's bed. But it had been a while aside from the night before. She and Patty had to sleep with him the first few nights after he was saved, and a night or two after that, but that's all. Usually he would fall asleep right after he woke up from a nightmare, or wouldn't tell her that he needed her or Patty or both.

She crawled under the covers and hugged Kid. If he wasn't half asleep, chances are she would be sleeping in her own bed.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his head beneath her neck, hearing, feeling her heart beat.

Liz had to remind herself that Kid's very childish in some ways. He hadn't had a mother, and his father was rarely around him even in his most impressionable years.

Liz cared so much about him. She was starting to think Kid felt the same way about her as she did him. But tonight, she was an older sister to him, and he was a younger brother.

She fell asleep shortly after he did.

The rest of the night was a relaxing storm.

In the morning, they woke up. Liz hadn't left her meister's side.

"What was it this time?" Liz asked, referring to the nightmare.

"Nothing... I don't want to talk about it." Usually he didn't. So he changed the subject. "You excited for today?"

"Yes." The two went to get breakfast, Patty had waken up right after them.

"So, did you sleep well last night?" Liz asked her tired sister.

"Uh huh." Patty nodded right as the phone started ringing. "Oh, who's that?"

Kid picked up the phone and his father was on the other end. "What is it, dad?"

"Sorry to call you so early, but some of the IHK called and said they need to speak with us at four."

"Alright." Kid sighed "That's in quite a few hours... see you then." Kid hung up the phone and poured a ball of cereal.

"What's going on?" Liz asked, slight concern on her face. These days, any phone call could mean the worst.

"Yes, about that..." Kid turned to the older blonde and yawned "Some important people we spoke to some time ago need to speak to father and I later. We still have plenty of time until I have to go."

"Good." Something in Liz was telling her no good would come from whoever Kid was meeting with, but she was happy it would be later in the afternoon. "Well, we can go do whatever until then."

"You two going on a date?" Patty asked her sister and meister with a mischievous grin.

"No." Liz blushed and shushed her sister. "It's just a day spending time together alone... I'm sure you would love one of those days with Blackstar."

"I'll call him!" Patty laughed and turned to Kid. "Have fun with sissy today."

"I'm sure we'll have lots of fun." Kid smiled, but he had a similar feeling to Liz about the meeting. "Finish your breakfast, Liz. The sooner we're done here, the more time we get where ever we go."

That made the blonde finish twice as fast.


	19. Chapter 19 Evidence

Liz and Kid had gone to get ice cream and eat while walking along a park trail.

The sun shined brightly as they ate their melting ice cream.

Liz had vanilla, and so did Kid.

Green trees surrounded the dirt path, and the two pointed out animals whenever one would cross by.

"Hey, Liz. What was the worst injury you've ever gotten?" Kid asked, looking his weapon in the eyes.

"Why do you ask?" Liz wasn't sure why Kid would ask something like that randomly, but she didn't really want to answer. What happens on the streets stays in the streets.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I was just curious." was the little death god's answer. He looked away from his companion. "I know some really bad things happened to you in Brooklyn despite being feared as you were. I was just wondering."

"Oh." Liz had told Kid surprisingly little about the old life Patty and her lived, but he knew things despite that. Mostly from Patty. The two talked a lot about it, but not even Patty was willing to speak of the worst. "That's okay. I won't tell you the worst that has happened... You didn't even talk about your nightmare."

"You can guess what it was." Kid answered bitterly. "Sorry to ask."

That stung a little. Mainly because she can guess easily of what it was. Liz looked away from him, finishing her ice cream and devouring the cone. "Return what you're given. I see what you did there."

They were silent for a little bit. A bit too long to be comfortable. Both felt bad about their reactions to what the other said, but both weren't very willing to admit it.

Patty had called Blackstar and they spent a few hours together playing in the garden of the mansion. They were closer to each other now that things were clear between them. They played two-person tag and have-you-ever and truth-or-dare. There were no winners in the games they played, because they were just that similar.

"Have you ever yelled at Kid?" Blackstar asked while sitting by a pretty pond. Patty sat next to him.

"Plenty!" she giggled. "Have you ever yelled at Tsubaki?"

"Uh... No. She knows to listen to me the first time I tell her anything."

"Sexist man-"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." Patty patted Blackstar on the back. "I'm sure Tsubaki enjoys your company."

And there was...

"Truth or dare?" Patty asked.

"Dare." the ninja answered.

"Jump into this pond."

"Okay." Blackstar did just that. He splashed into the pond and pulled himself right out. "Done." he sat back next to Patty. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"Dare you to jump into the pond."

"Yeah!" Patty made an even bigger splash and sat back next to Blackstar. "Now that that's done... Truth or dare?"

And...

"Tag! You're it, Patty!"

"Tag! You're it, Blackstar!"

They had lots of fun.

Soul had gone out with Maka to do some shopping at the grocery store.

"Maka, remember to get some milk." Soul instructed. Surprisingly when it came to cooking, Soul did most of it. He's the kind of guy who knows what he likes. "You've got dairy. I've got meats."

"You're such a man, Soul. Of course a girl gets dairy products and a guy gets meat." Maka scoffed.

"It's only like that if you think that way." Soul smirked, handing her a grocery list. "Come on, you can do it."

"Fine." Maka took the list of dairy products. She didn't miss hearing Soul say

"The milk thing only counts for a girl with big boobs. You don't count with that flat chest."

That comment Maka ignored. She liked Soul, but he could be a jerk even when he was just playing around. Well... she didn't always get that his insults come in a joking manner.

Kid and Liz enjoyed themselves after some time. They laughed and talked about brighter things. At least they spoke little of the bad.

It was when they started enjoying themselves that time flew by. It was three thirty and Kid said "I better get back home and get ready."

"That's right." Liz sighed. "I hate how you have to leave me."

"It's the curse of being where we are as gods." Kid laughed. "What can you do about it?"

"Well, meet me later around here if you can." Liz said. "I want to tell you something but... later, okay?"

"Um... we can do that." Kid left back on his way to the mansion.

Liz stood there alone. She couldn't say she was upset. But she couldn't say she was happy, either.

When the time came, Kid found himself waiting with his father for those IHK men in the death room.

"So, what are they talking about?" Kid asked.

"I don't know." was Lord Death's answer. "Probably about the quakes or something."

"Right." Kid nodded. It's not like his father knows _everything_.

There was a knock, and Lord Death instructed the men to come inside.

It was the same group of men that had originally spoken to them from the IHK. Consisting of Arthur and multiple men in suits.

There was something about Arthur that gave Kid a twisting sensation in his gut. He nervously rubbed his left arm, unaware that was the arm the needle of that damned syringe penetrated. Kid made eye contact with Arthur for a split second and was scared. He had no idea why. He looked down, a frown on his face and shivers running up and down his spine.

"Hello, Lord Death. Death the Kid." Arthur nodded to the two, and Kid looked up at Arthur. Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what. "People, as you know, are very upset with you two."

"We are aware." Lord Death assured in his goofy voice. "But we can't change their opinions."

"They are demanding to take you down, death gods. You two are aware of that, aren't you?"

Lord Death was doing the talking and answered "Yes. We have been aware for a while now."

"With the new tremors, people are demanding you remove your place in government. That, or stop the earthquakes completely."

"I understand. But stopping the earthquakes is impossible since we are not controlling them."

"And the IHK knows that." Arthur had a serious look on his face. So why was Kid picturing him smiling? "The slightest word coming from your mouth may lead to outrage."

"We've been careful-"

"But, with your place in government and natural law. You see, people need solid evidence to actually prove anything."

"We haven't given any evidence to hold against us."

"Listen here. The IHK is supposed to help people. We ourselves need evidence to support the destruction of shinigami if things turn out that bad. And evidence that can bring you down already exists."

"What are you talking about?" Lord Death asked.

Arthur held up an audio recorder. "We from the IHK don't trust you, Lord Death. Your son has proven things. Not quite of the earthquakes, but other things that you will be taken down for."

"What?!" Lord Death turned to his son in outrage. Kid refused to make eye contact with anyone. He just stared at his feet, wide eyed. His mouth agape.

Kid didn't remember... or did he? When did he say anything bad? Why was Arthur so... scary? He trembled when Arthur turned on the recorder and Kid's voice was played.

Kid was crying about his father never being there. He even mentioned how his father had kept things from him and the rest of DWMA and none the less the world. Things like Asura. He even mentioned the dinosaur things his father knew about but kept secret.

And an unimaginable dread filled his body, his mind, his soul. Kid remembered answering the questions in a sepia colored world. He remembered the birds. The blood. The eyes. Everything came back to him and he placed his hand over his mouth, holding in screams of terror and agony. When it came back, he felt it. Even though the pain dissipated after a minute or two, the memory was burned into his mind.

But how? Was Arthur the one who sent him into that nightmare world? Isn't that just a nightmare? What's going on?!

Lord Death turned to Arthur. "Destroy that." he demanded.

"No can do." Arthur frowned. "We fight for the right of people. If you force us to destroy this evidence, we have proof to take you down either way."

Arthur walked up and placed his hand on Kid's shoulder. Kid grabbed Arthur's wrist and sniffed "Please... Why... don't do this... How did you..."

"Thank you, Kid." Arthur faced Kid, kneeling down to see his tearful face. Kid was obviously scared, but close his mouth tightly, pressing his lips together when Arthur met his eyes. "You've done the world a favor. It's time for a new ruler after all."

"I..." Kid didn't know how to answer. What was he supposed to do?!

Arthur signaled for the men to leave, and before exiting himself, he saluted Lord Death and said "Long live the lord."

Once all the men had left, Lord Death was dumbfounded in the death room, alone with his son.

"What have you done?" he asked, rage in his voice.

"I... I don't..."

"That's obviously your voice!" Shinigami-Sama boomed, grabbing the back of his son's shirt and lifting Kid off the ground, placed his son in front of him. "We are doomed! Do you remember answering those questions?!"

"Yes."

"Did you do it voluntarily?"

"... Yes."

"Do you know what will happen to us?"

"No... Please, honorable father, I didn't-"

"What?! You didn't what?! If that is your voice and you answered those questions knowing there would be consequences..." his father was silent. The room was silent.

"Do you hate me like Asura?"

"No." Lord Death answered. "I messed up on Asura and am aware of that. But you... I expected you would be different. I'm not sure what I should think of you anymore. You've been a worse disappointment than Asura. I raised you best as I can and you betrayed me!"

Lord Death raised on of his big skull hands and Kid withered away to the ground.

"I'll... talk to them." Kid stood back up, wiping the tears from his face and looking his father dead into the empty pits called eyes. "I'll... try to fix things."

"Kid, if you don't, I will never forgive you."

"I had a feeling... You aren't the forgiving type, after all." Kid left the death room, left his father.

He was running. The only thought in mind was to destroy the evidence. That, or make sure they don't use it. The two death gods are the only ones in the world. They can't have their species destroyed since they are the true balance binding the world together.

He ran down a familiar street. Apartments covered both sides of the road.

That's when he saw it.

It was the few men from the IHK. They were entering what seemed to be an apartment they owned. On a sign next to the door it said 'for rent'.

_They rented that place._ _Probably for a week or two_. Kid guessed.

He ran up to one of the men, despite the nagging voice in his head telling him it was a bad idea.

"Oh, little shinigami." The man at the door said. "We expected you may show up. Come inside. Have some tea."

"I'm not fooling around." Kid was afraid, but he was angrier.

Kid entered the apartment and the man shut the door behind him. The room was dark, lit by a lamp. This must be the living room. A couch was where three men sat, a blank TV in front of them. A long table near the door was lined with chairs that about six men sat in.

And there he was. Arthur with the recorder in hand. Sitting on a chair with one leg over the other.

"Please." Kid's voice came out weaker than he had hoped. "I know what you did to me. Don't... don't let shinigami die like this."

The door locked behind him and Arthur spoke up from the chair with a laugh "Why wouldn't I? I have nothing wrong with you two personally, but your spots in power must be destroyed. The people have terrible opinions about you, and most of the IHK don't like you either."

"Stand up and be serious." Kid furrowed his eyebrows. He was surrounded by these grown men, all looking down upon him with scowls and angry eyes. Kid trembled and continued "If I can stand in discomfort, you can't just sit down there with such a happy look on that stupid face of yours."

"You're such a child!" Arthur laughed, making Kid angry as ever. "I'm doing what you say I can't. Deal with it, fool."

"Aside from that..." Kid gulped. He was getting really nervous being in a room with such evil men. "I would greatly appreciate it if you... didn't take us down."

"Is that so." Arthur stood up and walked over to Kid. "I can't wait to see your blood shut eyes while you await your death. People can be cruel, Kid. So can I."

"You shut your-" Kid couldn't finish. He just couldn't. His eyes burned and he blinked back tears. Something inside him snapped. It wasn't madness. It was something that only shinigami could do. And he felt it fester in his chest and brain. It is a godly gift, for dead shinigami to manipulate a living one. It's rare, even in dire situations for this to happen. The likely reason this is happening now it because the actual species of shinigami are being threatened. There for, this power is activated.

They're watching him, and although they don't have much time left, they can control his mind and movements. Death the Kid is young. He is and can be manipulated by this. The old shinigami only have a few minutes at a time, so they must make it count.

The yellow and gold in Kid's eyes glow along with half set of sanzu lines. Kid held his head high and his body stopped trembling. He spoke with his voice, and it echoed in high or darker tones. Voices joining into one.

"Stop this." was what he said. "If you wish to destroy shinigami completely and prevent us gods from being reborn, you will be severely punished. It is when fools such as you challenge the order that keeps your sanity. With that, you shall be killed."

Dead-Death-gods-in-one-Kid (that's what we can call him when he's like this. Awesome, right?) walked up to Arthur with painfully slow steps. He held out his right hand, looking up at Arthur's face and back down to his hand. He placed his flat palm on Arthur's chest.

The grown man was confused. Arthur actually got scared when Kid's arm pressing against him began glowing white. "Take care of this." was all Arthur had to say.

Kid screamed in agony, the dead death gods have abandoned him when a syringe needle was thrust into his mid back, into his spine. His eyes widened, he didn't know what had happened, but the glowing stopped. He was his regular self. Kid fell to his knees as the plunger was pressed and some sort of liquid filled his body. His mouth opened and he screamed again as the injection was finished and the needle was roughly pulled out.

Falling onto his chest, he looked to the side. His vision blurred and everything had a sepia tone to it. But he wasn't in dreamland yet.

Arthur knelt down on the ground and looked at Kid. Kid looked back at him, hyperventilating. He didn't want to go back! Tears streamed down his face. He had an idea of what was going to happen, and what it was scared him even more.

"How pathetic." Arthur laughed, it sounded like he was yelling. He rubbed Kid's hair. "You had me worried there for a moment. I'm not going to give you the ability to forget what will happen. The first time we had reasons, but we just released the evidence. Your father must be so proud. You're shaking so much it's funny."

"I don't wanna go there." Kid croaked, wailing.

"Too late." Arthur smiled. "Have a nice sleep."

And like that, everything turned dark. Then sepia. Kid was back in the dreamland he dreaded. The dream he was supposed to forget.

A nightmare. That's all it is.

A very real one.

It is the pain that can meet us in our sleep. The fear. The panic. You can't wake up when you need to. It follows you. It haunts your mind. It can't be prevented. It can only end. It can come back once it is over. It can create paranoia and insanity to it's host. It's a crazy idea to think that something as simple as a bad dream can do this to someone. But it does. It can. And it will once it gets the chance to creep into ones fragile mind.

**(So did you like this chapter? Tell me how you feel about the whole Dead-death-gods-in-one-Kid thing. It was an idea I had and I personally think it's a good one. Kind of like avatar... but not the same. You know what I mean?)**


	20. Chapter 20 Something's wrong

The birds never stopped. He was eaten alive again and again, never transferring to the room after that. Body regenerating, and then again the vultures mutilated him. He could run, but that didn't help. He was helpless.

They found Kid alone at a random place in the woods. He was leaning against a tree, knees curled into his chest and arms wrapped around them. His eyes wide, but his mouth closed.

Kilik and Ox found him. They were taking a late night walk in the woods and found him.

"What's wrong?" Kilik asked, kneeling down by Kid.

Kid looked at Kilik and Ox in front of him, but then looked back down. Not speaking.

"Kid?" Ox knelt down as well and waved his hand in front of Kid's face.

Nothing.

They managed to get him back to his mansion. Kid couldn't stand, nor could he walk without his legs buckling beneath him after the first step. He even had trouble holding onto the others who tried to support him.

Liz and Patty ran to the mansion door when they heard a knock, Liz looking rather frazzled. They were shocked to see Kilik and Ox carrying Kid, the shinigami's arms wrapped around their shoulders.

Liz said "Thank you." with Patty and they got their meister in their arms. Ox and Kilik left, and Liz brought Kid upstairs and laid him down in his bed.

"Kid." Kid looked into her eyes, and then stared blankly ahead. "Kid, are you okay?"

Of course he isn't. But what bad can come of asking?

Back at DWMA the next day, class continued. Kid's father wasn't told about what happened yesterday. He didn't know if they were safe or not.

Liz sat closely to Patty and Tsubaki. She felt very comfortable around Tsubaki, since the girl is so kind and sweet and is always willing to listen.

Soul, Maka, and Blackstar sat in the seats directly in front of them.

"What's up, Liz?" Soul asked, turning to face up in his seat.

"Kid..." Liz answered. She wasn't sure how to continue.

"Oh... Hey Liz, Patty. Soul, Maka, Blackstar. Tsubaki." Kilik walked up to the bunch.

"Where's Ox?" Maka asked.

"He's talking to Stein about something in the hallway." he replied and turned to Liz "How's Kid?"

"What happened?" Blackstar furrowed his eyebrows.

The sisters looked down. Not even Patty was happy. Liz continued. "Ox and Kilik found him in the woods last night all alone. Kid hasn't talked since last night."

"How's his physical condition?" Maka asked.

"He couldn't walk or stand yesterday. He's really weak right now. He was a little scratched and bruised, but nothing too severe from what we're aware of."

"Who did this to him?" Blackstar was clearly angry, but what was he supposed to direct his anger to?

"I'm not even sure if he was attacked. He could have... fallen? Or anything could have happened. I don't know. He won't say anything, so we don't know what happened or who did this to him."

"Can we visit him after school?" Soul asked.

"Yes. But I'm not sure if he'll speak later either. He hasn't gotten up from bed from what I'm aware of."

Liz wasn't angry that Kid didn't meet her in the park after his meeting. She couldn't be. Not after she saw his condition. It would be cruel to hold something like that against him.

Class started, and it ended. Right when school was over, they waked over to Kid's house. Only this time, instead of Blackstar, Tsubaki, Maka, Soul, and Kilik heading over with the girls, Ox, and even Kim came along. Pot of fire and Pot of thunder was nowhere to be found. _Probably ran off to get ice cream. _Kilik thought. Crona, Amber, Keira, and Akiri were asked and decided to come along too.

They entered the mansion, Crona behind Maka. Soul at the pig-tailed blonde's side.

Amber next to Soul. Blackstar right behind the girls. Ox, Kim and Kilik side by side. Keira and Akiri next to Tsubaki. Liz and Patty leading the way up to Kid's room.

Liz peaked in the door and saw Kid curled up in his bed, hands over head and rocking. His blanket pulled up over him.

"It's not a pretty sight." Liz warned, and opened the door completely.

The kids surrounded Kid with furrowed brows and shocked expressions.

"Kid?" Liz placed her hand on Kid's shoulder and he jumped back with a yelp, clearly startled. He looked around at his friends, sitting up in his bed.

"What happened?" Blackstar asked. He was on Kid's left side while Liz was on his right.

Kid didn't shake his head, he just stared down, a sad look on his face. A part of him wanted to speak, but he just couldn't. He didn't want to talk about what happened. He didn't want to relive it in words. He already had to deal with a new terrifying nightmare every time he closed his eyes, even blinked.

"Come on, Kid. You can tell us." Soul said. He stood next to Blackstar.

"Are you scared?" Maka asked.

"What are you afraid of?" Tsubaki asked.

"What's wrong with you?" Of course Kim's words didn't sound kind, but she meant well.

Ox asked. "Why were you all alone last night?"

"Is it something we can't see?" Kilik asked.

"I feel like we shouldn't ask all these questions." Akiri stated. "Why don't we leave him?"

"I need to know." Blackstar pressed on. "What happened that made you afraid to speak?"

All of them meant well. But it was too much.

"Shut up!" Kid yelled, pressing his palms against his ears and looking at Blackstar dead in the eyes. "If I wanted to tell you what happened I would have! I don't want to talk about it!"

"At least he's not mute." Soul sighed. "Sorry to have bothered you. Come on guys, let's go."

They would have left if Kid hadn't screamed at the top of his lungs and dug his nails into the skin of his temples. He collapsed back down onto his back, eyes tightly shut. Gasping.

"Kid!" Liz tried to keep his hands form breaking his soft skin, but she couldn't pry his hands off his face. He is a grim reaper after all, he's way stronger than a regular human. He started scratching at his face, his arms. Whimpering.

"K-Kid?" Blackstar managed to restrain Kid's left arm while Liz failed to restrain his right. With one sleek pull of his nails across his restrained arm, he broke into the flesh and four long lines, torn and bloodied, stretched across his left arm. His continued to rip at his flesh, despite the obvious pain it was bringing him. Blackstar reached and restrained the other arm. Leaning over Kid with one knee on the bed, he pinned him down by his wrists.

Kid opened his eyes and looked at Blackstar on top of him. The blood from his arm was soaking his black bed sheets and making them sticky.

"Stop it, Kid." was what the blue haired ninja said. "Why are you hurting yourself?"

Kid didn't answer. He avoided eye contact with anyone and shut his mouth tight.

"Keep him like that. Tie him down or something." Maka said. "He could hurt himself really bad if he gets the chance."

"Poor Kid." Soul turned away from the scene, a sickening feeling entering his gut. "Damn it. Why did he..." he walked out the room, and out the front door, closing it behind him. Maka followed shortly after.

"Why did you leave like that?" she asked.

The sun beat down on them. At least today the skies were clear. "I'm not sticking around to watch you guys tie him down to his bed. He's not insane. But something is clearly wrong."

"You're right. Something is wrong-"

"Well, that doesn't mean you have to tie him up."

They didn't tie him up. Kid stopped fighting on his own. Liz wrapped up his bloody arm and wrapped up his left arm because she knew he would reject to the idea of being asymmetrical for even a second.

Kid got up once everyone had left aside from the girls and Blackstar. He walked a little, but fell down after a few steps.

"You need help?" Liz asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." Kid mumbled. It hurt to speak.

He got up and gripped the railing every step he took down the many stairs.

He stumbled over to the couch that the television is directly in front of and fell onto the soft cushions. Sitting up, he reached over and grabbed the remote, turning on the news.

"Come on. Don't worry yourself with the media, Kid." Liz sat next to Kid.

"..."

"We don't need to talk about what happened. We don't need to talk about it. But please tell me why... why you're so desperate to see what's going on."

"Sorry." Kid sighed. He continued quietly "That has to do with some of... _it_."

"What happened during the meeting?"

Kid turned off the TV and lay down on his side. The usual calm look on his face was filled with sadness. He stared at the floor and whispered "Too much. I... I... I can't explain. Father..." he didn't finish. The memory was too painful. Too close to what else he experienced the day before.

"The meeting didn't end well, did it?" Liz asked. She was starting to picture things in her mind. "Are you and your father in trouble?"

"Yes." Kid answered. "And it's..." his voice caught in his throat. "It's all my fault."

He placed his right hand beneath his head and breathed in and out deeply. His left hand pressed against his chest.

"Are you alright?"

"No... But it's not that... I... Father... he'll never forgive me. I..." Too painful. _Too painful._ Too much. _Too much_. Too soon._ Too soon_. He bit his lower lip. His heart pounding in his chest.

"How is anything that has happened your fault?"

Liz lay down against her meister, up against the inside back of the couch. She wrapped her arms around Kid's waist and chest and pulled him up next to her, her cheek against his.

She felt right there beside him. She could tell Kid wasn't paying much attention to what she was doing, even though she could see his face flushing a light red. "How is it your fault? What did you do?"

He was silent. She pulled him over to face her. Their heads at the same place on the couch, but Liz's feet stretching over the other end. Kid's so short.

He looked into her eyes, and she could see he was confused and wanting to get away. Not necessarily from her, but from everything else. He kept his hand in the same place, but now the left supported his head and the right his chest.

"You're not guilty."

"You don't get it." he finally spoke. His teeth chattered as if he was frozen. His skin was usually very cold, being death, cold and white. But it was sickly. Not the same. "I told them."

"Told them what?"

Kid wasn't sure how to answer. Images of the sepia colored, bloody world. The vultures popped into his mind without him having to blink. They were watching him. They didn't wait for him to die, they helped the process. "What we were... keeping secret."

His heart was burning and he blinked back tears. This isn't supposed to happen. Why had he scratched his arm? Why was he feeling so much pain without having to dream or have his eyes closed or blink? Was it because the memories are painful? No. That might be causing a little bit of it, but not the whole thing.

He hugged Liz tightly, his forehead against hers. He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth. He couldn't breath.

Liz hugged him back just as tight, his body trembling. _Why? _Liz asked herself. _Why is he in so much pain? Why does he have to suffer like this? What did he do that made him deserve this? _Then she remembered. _He didn't do anything. Patty and I didn't do anything and we were abandoned. There's no possible way he did anything in the beginning to start all of this. That shows how unfair life is. But still..._

"Kid?"

No answer.

"_Kid_?"

No answer.

"Kid!"

He couldn't answer. He couldn't speak. He wheezed "I need help." The sound he made when he breathed was enough for Liz to panic. "Call Stein. Send him over."

"Right." Liz got off the couch and lay Kid flat on his back. She didn't know what to do otherwise than call Stein like he said. Quickly, she did just that. Her professor said he would be right over.

When she came back into the room, she was horrified at what she saw.

Kid was sitting up, his toes curled into the couch cushion and his back pressed against the inside back of the couch. Eyes wide open. He coughed violently, one hand over his mouth and the other around his throat.

Blood. Whenever he coughed his body was racked with violent trembles and gags. Even though he had his hand over his mouth, his muscles weekend with every cough and blood dripped in between his fingers and down his chin. He was coughing up blood, obviously.

She ran over to him and Patty came rushing down. The younger blonde looked scared. She even screamed. Her meister is coughing up blood and they're not even in battle! This isn't the first time he's coughed up blood randomly, but this is the worst by far.

Liz sat down and pulled her meister onto her lap, the back of his head against her collar bones. She stroked his hair as she waited anxiously for Professor Stein.

There was a knock on the door and Patty ran and opened it.

"Hi, Doctor Stein!" Patty greeted.

"I was called. You need help?"

"Yup! Come on! He's over here!"

Patty lead Stein over to the couch and the professor furrowed his brows at the sight of Kid.

"Lay him on his side, and get a wet rag." Stein instructed.

Liz did as told, laying her meister on his right side. She went and grabbed a rag, soaking it under water and bringing it over to Stein.

Stein placed the rag beneath Kid's face against the couch, making Kid move his hand from his mouth. Liz grabbed another rag and cleaned the blood off Kid's hand. Chances are the blood would stain the couch, since the blood Kid was coughing up would soak through the wet rag.

"Girls, you two should leave for a little bit." Stein said, turning to Liz and Patty. "I'm going to take a close look at Kid, and it's best you're not here. You've dealt with so much this week, you don't need any more things to worry about."

Liz was a little hesitant to leave Kid, but she figured it would be best. Stein is a doctor, he knows what he's doing. Right?

Patty and Liz left and went shopping. They came back an hour later.

"We're back." Liz called out as they opened the front doors. "Stein, you still there?"

"Yes." Stein called back. Liz and Patty walked in to see Kid laying on the couch on his side, only he was relaxed now. He looked up at Liz and Patty with his golden yellow eyes. His hands rested in front of him.

"Kiddo, are you okay?" Patty asked.

Kid blinked in response. He was clearly exhausted. His eyes half open and his breathing steady through his nose.

"He shouldn't talk." Stein said to the girls. "After examining what I could, the exact source of the bleeding is still unknown. But, there is definitely something wrong inside him. He couldn't talk without choking up blood, so he needs to stay quiet for a few days. Keep a close eye on him. It was a while before he stopped coughing up blood."

"Got it. Thank you, Professor Stein." Liz and Patty chimed.

Stein left, glancing back at Kid with a worried look. He shut the door behind him.

"Kid, what are we going to do with you?" Liz sighed, kneeling down by her meister.

He didn't speak like he was supposed to. Liz smiled sadly and cooed "You must be tired. We'll have you sleep here tonight, but you've got to brush your teeth. Drink some water if you can."

Kid stood up, almost falling over. But Liz helped support him. She walked him to the bathroom. If you need help, bang on whatever you can."

Kid wasn't happy that he had to be instructed what to do if something bad happened. Especially since he was in such bad condition and couldn't supports himself properly.

"You want to go to school tomorrow?" Patty asked her meister with her usual bubbly attitude.

Kid thought for a moment, and nodded his head. He wanted to get out of the house. The girls got him a clean pair of pajamas and after they went to make dinner, Kid locked the bathroom door behind him and got undressed.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His arms would have to be unwrapped.

After he unwrapped his arms, he pressed one hand against the wall for support. The worst he could think of that would happen to him would be that he slips and hits his head.

The scratches on his arm were almost healed already. He felt his mid back where the needle had been injected. That was healed too.

Good. All the damage inside should go away soon enough as well. Right? Maybe that would take a little longer.

He went under the perfectly heated water and rubbed shampoo symmetrically over his hair.

He soaped himself up symmetrically, and rinsed himself off symmetrically. It was surprisingly easy to move while in warm water.

He tasted iron in his mouth and for the last time that night, he coughed up blood into the shower. Spitting out the taste and washing it away.

He dried himself off and leaned back against the wall, once again facing the mirror. The mirror was fogged up, so he walked up to the glass and wiped away to see his reflection.

Staring back at himself, he didn't look the same.

Dark circles under his eyes, bloodshot and glassy. He was a sicker pale than normal. He wore a sorrowful expression and stared up at his hair.

He could be a full shinigami. He isn't. He failed.

Those three stripes were a reminder how he failed to connect the sanzu lines that day. His friends could have died because of that. Those stripes. Those asymmetrical stripes. Asymmetrical.

He smacked his forehead and thought _Asymmetrical garbage! _Of course Kid would think of symmetry. It's Kid, after all.

That night, Kid watched the news. Nothing worrying... yet.

Everyone managed to sleep that night, although their day was slightly ruined. Really, the only one who didn't care about what happened was Keira. Well... she cared, but barely. Why would she worry? It's not like she knew the kid well or anything.

Sometimes there are those bad days that make you view the world with hate and spite. The next good day you have and all you see are the bad things. It's a pessimistic view on life. Not realist. Not optimist. Oh how the bare pessimist a bad day can turn someone into.

A pessimist sees the negative side in everything.

An optimist sees only the good things in life.

A realist sees what is presented and handles both views equally.

No one is perfect. No one can see only one side of life unless they are truly blind.

Are you a pessimist, or an optimist? Given those two choices only, will you pick 'or'? 'Or' is what lies between. 'Or' is the realist. What would you pick in any situation? What would take you farthest?


	21. Chapter 21 Just a normal day, right?

The next day, Kid went to school silently with the girls.

"Kid, you're here today?" Maka was surprised. Everyone who had seen him just the other day were shocked he would come.

"Yes, he's here today." Liz answered for him. Kid wasn't supposed to talk. "Something complicated happened after you guys left and he's not supposed to talk much or at all and stuff..."

"So ask him anything you want!" Patty cackled, jumping into the seat next to Blackstar.

"Hey, Kid! How are you feeling?" Blackstar laughed.

Kid shook his head and exhaled through his nose, rolling his eyes.

"No symmetry rants today, Kid?" Soul chuckled. The white haired boy's feet were up on the desk. Class had not yet started. Blackstar was surprisingly early. "You know how annoying those can get, right?"

Kid wanted to say something back and looked like he was about to, but changed his mind.

"Stop teasing, guys." Tsubaki said quietly and turned to Kid. "Since you have to be silent for the rest of the day, I will be too."

"You're always so nice." Maka patted Tsubaki on the back. "Keep it up and you'll get a cookie."

"We have cookies?" Soul perked up.

"No." the pigtailed blonde answered.

"Darn." he sighed in return.

Hours of school passed, and Kid left to go get a drink of water. Stein understood and allowed him to walk out without saying a word.

As Death the Kid walked in the hall to the bathroom after getting a drink of water, a random kid shoved him up against the wall.

"Hey, you're Lord Death's son aren't you?" the guy asked. He wore an orange T-shirt and junky blue jeans with stupid looking shoes. How could a kid this dumb looking go to DWMA?

Kid nodded slowly. He didn't feel like beating anyone up and wasn't sure if he was in good health to do so. His walking had been messed up since... _it _happened.

"I feel sorry for you." the kid laughed. He had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. "My oh my, you're in some deep trouble."

Kid raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. He wanted to talk so much, but it would be best not to.

"What's with the look? There's a rumor going on around school that you gave away some important information on... whatever Mr. Death was keeping from the rest of us. Hey, aren't you gonna say something? Anything."

Kid pushed the kid away and stumbled over to the boys bathroom. The boy behind him saying "What's gonna happen now, shi-ni-ga-mi?"

Kid shook his head. Ignoring what had happened.

After school, everyone, including Amber, Keira, Akiri, and Crona went out to get ice cream.

Everyone loves ice cream.

Once they entered the store and got their desert, they talked (Aside from Kid, of course.) and went to the basketball court afterwords.

By now the sun was at it's brightest.

Everyone but Keira, Kid, and Amber played. Amber sat on the bench talking to Kid. She to his left. Keira watched the game from the opposite side of the court.

"So... you really can't talk today?" Amber asked.

Kid nodded his head, eyes focused on the ongoing game. So far Blackstar's team was winning, consisting of Patty, Akiri, and Soul.

"Lovely." Keira muttered from the sidelines, rolling her eyes at the playful bunch. "It's as if no one thinks about everything that has happened. We're in potential danger." It was obvious she was talking to herself. No one was paying any attention. "There was another earthquake last night, and sink holes are starting to form out of nowhere down over in Florida."

Amber scooted up super close to Kid, squinting her eyes and staring into his. The shinigami faced her and raised an eyebrow. She was on her hands and knees. What the hell?!

"You look cool." Amber smiled. It was that same kind of smile that crossed her face whenever she examined prehistoric fossils and such. "You're eyes have those two awesome rings, gold and yellow. And your hair is so epic!"

Kid didn't think of things that way, and turned away from her. He didn't appreciate any attention when he couldn't speak his mind.

"Come on! I wanna see them again!" Amber meant his eyes, of course, and pressed her cheek against Kid's shoulder and meowed like a Blair "I wanna see! I wanna see! Aw you shinigami is so cute! I want you in a basket! I want to violate you and rip out your intestines and hang them on my wall as decorations! Death is so adorable!"

Kid stood up off the bench and Amber face planted into the wooden seat.

His friends had been watching, and an angry Maka shouted "Stop being a creep, Amber!"

"Oh, I'm sure there are worse..." Kid spoke accidentally, covering his mouth as soon as the words came out. That hurt a lot, speaking. And he could already taste iron in his mouth and swallowed it back down.

"Kid! Remember what the doctor told you!" Liz yelled at her meister, fists at her hips. She doesn't always play basketball, but when she does, she prefers winning. (something her team is not doing right now.) "I'll tape your mouth shut if I must!"

Kid silently took a seat back on the bench. Amber scooting over to the other side, a creepy grin etched on her face.

The game ended with Blackstar's team being the winners. Everyone went home and fell asleep.

Today was nice. But what about tomorrow?

We shall see.

Soul woke up, somewhat upset he wasn't next to Maka. He was happy that no one was going to kick him off his bed, though.

Blackstar sat up and got ready. He wanted to hang out with Patty once again after school, one on one. It isn't a party without Blackstar. But him alone was with no one to impress, no one. There's no point in being awesome if no one is around to see just how epic you are.

Liz woke Kid up. He was sleeping on the couch again. That isn't a big surprise considering he was watching the news after one in the morning. How tired he looked.

"How are you feeling?" Liz asked her meister.

"I..." he felt like he shouldn't talk. He had also, aside from the news, been kept awake from nightmares of what happened. "I'll be really quiet." he whispered, all air. Liz could barely hear him. "I don't want to hurt myself again. You know, start coughing up blood?"

"Oh yes." Liz nodded in agreement, worry spreading across her face. "That's a good idea. Whisper all day. But, you probably shouldn't talk much anyways."

"Right." he gave a weak smile, sitting up. "I'll shut up now."

At school, things were calm. Too calm, even. Everyone sat in their seats as usual. Their attention focused to the blackboard.

Dr. Stein sat, rolling around in his chair. The professor drew things on the blackboard that kids examined and etc. He asks a question, and a few hands raise to be called on. He nods approvingly for correct answers and shakes his head at incorrect answers.

Maka, like the other kids, observed what her teacher was writing down and saying. Her eyes locked to wherever he was pointing. Her ears listening to every breath he made with the intent to learn anything possible.

Soul leaned back, relaxed. What was there to stress about? Not like he stressed over things... but he did care more about his friends than what one may expect. He closed his eyes, arms behind his neck. He liked it when Maka concentrated so hard in school, since she wouldn't bug him about fooling around and paying little attention in class.

Blackstar had the same attitude as Soul when it came to taking school seriously. Really, he wasn't thinking much about anything right now. His mind was pretty much blank. Everyone seemed to have the same mood today. Everyone is either relaxed, or focused on their studies.

Tsubaki smiled sweetly as the teacher went on. The classroom was usually quiet, but today it wasn't a normal silence. Her smile was reassuring herself everything is okay. Something inside her told her otherwise. Something said 'this isn't right. This is too peaceful, too calm for what is happening daily.' The earthquakes were occurring frequently and getting worse. It's only a matter of time before another big one happens and... who knows what would happen if that did occur. The idea is scary. It's even worse when every quake proves again and again that the next big hit won't be predicted and shall occur at random. She was worried for her friends. Especially Kid, who had already been through so much in the past couple weeks.

Liz stared blankly at her teacher. What else was she to do during school? Everyone was so bored looking today. Maka had the usual focused look. Soul and Blackstar all laid back. Tsubaki with that patient, kind smile... something was off about that, for sure. Patty bounced up and down in her seat, humming a little tune from some TV show she had been watching. Turning to Kid, Liz saw he had the same patient look about him as Tsubaki but was lacking the soft smile she offered. Turning back to the teacher, Liz felt off as well. She wasn't worked up like she had been when Kid was coughing up blood. Or when he decided to go to school yesterday instead of taking the day off. Maybe it was her problem? Was she the only one aware of the weird changes the class took on.

There was a rumble, the school shaking lightly. Just another earthquake. Nothing to worry about, right? She glanced at everyone and they seemed alright. Looking at Kid, his brows were furrowed and he looked down at his empty desk. _Does he see it too? _Liz wondered. _Did he feel it like I did? He must have. I don't understand why everyone is so-_

One door leading into the classroom was knocked upon and Spirit walked in. Maka's immediate reaction was disgust. Soul's was an exasperated sigh.

"What's going on, Death Scythe?" Stein asked, sitting up straight in his seat.

"Lord Death sent me to..." Spirit gave a stupid cool-dad smile and in an authoritative tone continued with "Maka, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, Kid. You are to come to the death room at once."

Liz looked back at Kid. He seemed frozen in his seat.

They seven got up and left to go to the death room. Meanwhile, Stein left his class for a short moment to go talk to Spirit outside the classroom's shut doors.

"Why would Lord Death physically send you over to call them down?" Stein asked, standing up straight and tall. "What happened to the loud speaker?"

"The loud speaker has been having some issues with these constant quakes." Spirit answered. Now since he was alone with Stein, he could have a nice serious conversation. "Also, I need to work out a bit."

"What. Have you been having too much fun at Chupa-Cabra's?" Stein laughed, and then went back to being serious. "Never mind that. Did Lord Death explain why he needs to talk to them?"

"Oh yes..." Spirit grimaced. "It seems he is warning them."

"About what? Aside from you, the staff and faculty have only been told so much about the prehistoric finds."

"I know you need to get back to teaching, so I'll be fast." Spirit inhaled and explained "You see, aside from the major findings this special set of students have been clued into, they are aware of what Lord Death is hiding from the rest of DWMA and the world. Those secrets being the discoveries and such of that nature. So far, no human is known to have spotted anything out of the ordinary... _yet_. And as you know, due to the recent earthquakes, another big split is expected to occur in America any time now. Everyone knows the people of the world are panicked and scared out of their minds. They are threatening to take Lord Death and even his son out of power. Aside from Kid, who is aware of what is going on already when it comes to the meetings they have been holding, his friends are not yet fully aware of the severity that comes from this. And... I believe Lord Death is warning them all of what may come soon enough."

"You're saying..."

"The government, or at least this one organization had evidence that is irrefutable."

"What is it?"

"An audio tape."

"Of what?"

"Death the Kid."

There was a long pause between the two.

"How?" Stein finally asked. The idea that an organization of whatever had an audio tape filled with evidence is questionable. But from the very god Death the Kid? That's impossible! Kid would never betray his father. Right?

"_There_ is a gap I can't fill." Spirit finished, taking another deep breath. "Kid didn't explain to his father how it happened. Lord Death said his son left with intentions of fixing what happened and-"

"He wasn't successful from my understanding." Stein interrupted. "Aren't rumors spreading around the school of Lord Death hiding things, anyways?"

"Well, that's true." Spirit nodded. "But, when everyone knows what Lord Death has been hiding. The kishin and this prehistoric evidence along with what Kid said in the tape all shows instability and secrecy in our fine death gods and frankly, the people have had enough of it and will finish it once this evidence is let out."

"When do you believe the people will rid of our gods?"

"My guess, judging by how things have been heading... After the next split in the America's, likely the USA, people will forcibly take down Lord Death. I'm sure it's possible that the people are willing to sacrifice Lord Death in order to stop this madness. I'm not sure what will happen to Kid in any case, but there's a good chance his fate will be either the same... I can't believe I'm saying this... or worse."

"Why worse?"

"Kid's an easy target from what they people are aware of. Chances of him being slaughtered or imprisoned for life are fifty-fifty. Although execution seems most fitting since everyone doesn't want shinigami to live on. If a death god doesn't die of natural age, Kid would be in prison forever, of course, depending on the environment of where he would be placed."

"How dim a light the future holds." Stein shook his head, dismayed. "Thank you for explaining everything to me." he walked up to the door entering class and stood there for a moment, contemplating the future. "It's too bad we can't predict when the next split will occur. It's impossible to prepare for an uprising in that case. I do hope everything turns out all right." And turning the nob, he ended with "But that's just silly wishful thinking. From what's happened, our future is as dark as the night sky."

Back in the death room, Maka and Soul were the first to enter. Maka with her intrigued looks and Soul with his bored. Blackstar followed right after with Patty. Blackstar with his energetic personality and Patty with her fun personality. Liz followed up after Patty, a worried expression. Tsubaki and Kid walked in side by side. Tsubaki had stuck with him behind the rest of the gang having seen the cold look he wore. His expression nearly painful to see.

Lord Death didn't say hello to his son. In fact, he ignored his offspring and explained to the group the predicament the two gods were in and a few of the possible outcomes.

"This may or may not happen. What I told you now is only a warning of what may come to be." Lord Death was surprisingly goofy for the topic he was talking about. "I want all of you to be as safe as can be and remain calm and help people when the world is in a dark place."

"That's horrible." Maka and Liz chimed together, the six in shock. As for Kid? Not so much.

"Is there anything we can do aside from the 'right thing' and be good role models?" Soul asked, truly wanting to help.

"Not from my knowledge, no." Lord Death sang out "Be safe, all of you. I'm so proud of what you all have accomplished and I hope after what may or may not happen, that you keep up the good work!"

As they left, Kid stopped before them and whispered that he would meet the rest of them at the basketball court later, which was where they had planned to go with Keira, Akiri, and Amber as well.

The doors to the death room closed and Kid stood there dumbly. Why had he chosen to stay here with his father again? Didn't he desire to speak with him? That's right. He did. Well, whisper to him, anyways.

"What is it, Kid?" Lord Death asked coldly as Kid walked up to him with facing the ground. "You failed to fix things. Are you happy?"

"... You're an idiot." Kid whispered angrily. He felt little remorse for his actions. He was enraged by his father's lack of compassion and lack of care for his own son. How Lord Death stated he would never forgive his son. How wrong could a father, a mother, any guardian be? There was little to no love in his father's voice after the others had left. This sickened Kid to the core. He looked up, anger written clearly on his face. He continued to speak quietly. "I respected you in the highest, father. I looked up to you and after... Let me put it this way. I was..."

The memories were still too painful to speak of. He couldn't close his eyes, or he would feel that terror and agony once again.

"If you have something to say, speak." Lord Death boomed. Clearly he was yet to forgive Kid for what had happened.

"No." Kid answered quietly. "A god would know if his son was lying or not. Clearly I am telling the truth."

"You're a god and you can't tell the difference." His father snapped back. "Speak so I can hear you. I didn't raise you so you wouldn't speak your mind."

"Bullshit!" Kid screamed, instantly coughing. Despite the damage yelling was doing, he was too upset, to raged to quit. "You didn't raise me at all! You were rarely there! You miserable excuse for a father! You miserable excuse for a god! What monster would say to their child they would never forgive them when something terrible has obviously happened! A parent should tell when their child can't go on-" Coughing overcame his body and blood droplets fell to the floor each time he coughed. "You should be able to tell when your child is suffering! This isn't the first time something like this has happened and slipped your eyes! When I was younger, and so on, I needed help. You never even asked if anything was wrong! I no longer see you as someone I can look up to! You say I disappoint you, but you know what they say. Father like Son! Isn't that right?!"

"Calm down, Kid." Lord Death instructed, seeing that Kid wouldn't quite. He grew nervous when his son started gasping as blood dripped out of his mouth. "I'm sorry for what I said-"

"Sorry?! Like you'll ever be sorry! If you were sorry, you would-" _cough_ "You would actually-" _cough _"Act like you care about me even the slightest you-" _cough, cough_ "Monster!"

That was enough of that. Kid fell to the floor, he was hacking. A small puddle of blood building with every cough. On his knees and hands, his limbs buckled and he fell onto his side. Hand covering his mouth and trying to calm himself down. Whatever it would take to stop all this blood from appearing.

Lord Death knelt down and with one of his big skull hands, rubbed Kid's side. What could he do? Kid didn't even pay attention to his father. He looked ahead, fearful. Tears dripping down his eyes and his body trembling as it grew more difficult to breath.

"Kid." his father spoke in a light, and soothing tone. "Calm down. I acted cruel. I didn't act like a responsible adult. I love you. Please calm down."

Stein came in shortly after with an urgent call from Lord Death. Seeing what he had seen only two days ago was troublesome. But he managed to get Kid to stop coughin. "Another day of no talking." he said once everyone was standing. "And if anything, no yelling."

Kid hugged his father once Stein had left. Now that's rare.

"I'm sorry." Lord Death continued, hugging back.

Kid nodded. The look he wore said the same thing.

Later that day, Kid met up with his friends at the basketball court like he said.

Judging by his lack of speech, everyone could tell he had another one of those 'fits' again.

Things were calm. They played around, Amber, Kid, and Keira all sitting out again.

"Maka! You totally missed that shot!" Soul booed.

"Oh shut up!" Maka snapped back.

"Come on, Tsubaki! Pass it to me!" Blackstar waved his hands.

"Okay." The old teen passed the ball the blue haired ninja.

"Tsubaki! He's on the opponents team." Patty giggled.

"I don't even know why I play with you rowdy bunch." Liz laughed.

"You love us! That's why!" Blackstar answered for her.

Things were nice. The sun was setting. Everything seemed alright.

That was when the ground shook so terribly everyone fell.

The court's concrete cracked and revealed layers of dirt beneath it.

Was the next split not expected? Of course it wasn't. Who would have known it would happen that very day?

It's times like this. You're having fun after a rough day, and soon after you've settled down and thought things over. After you say everything's all right. The world comes crashing in and you realize the work day isn't over just yet.

It's only just begun.


	22. Chapter 22 They came You better run

The sky was orange with the setting sun. Things were going well with the ten kids at the basketball court until it happened again.

The earthquake. Another huge one. The ground shook so violently they fell. Kid and Amber holding tightly to the bench they were upon and everyone watching in horror as the concrete making up Death City began to split and crack, revealing layers of dry soil. The splits in the concrete weren't too bad. It was what happened because of these splits that added effect to the danger everyone was in.

A few houses began crumbling and toppled over. The same thing happened to a few apartments.

There was yelling in the streets and shrill screams of citizens caught in the random madness that was unfolding.

Birds flew off of trees in large flocks, making Kid shudder.

By the end of the giant quake, everyone, even the two on the bench, ended up flat against the ground in a giant cloud of dust.

The shaking stopped after a few terrifying minutes.

Keira was the first to stand up. She shakily got to her feet. The dust was still floating around. She dust herself off and calmly asked "Is everyone alright?"

"No..." Maka answered quietly from the ground. Keira couldn't see her through the cloud. "I think my toe is broken."

"Which one?"

"My left pinkie toe."

"Those always take a while to heal." Soul laughed. "I'm alright, though."

The dust settled and everyone could view the ground for how it was.

"Kid!" Amber yelled. Although her forehead was bleeding, she could care less as she got up on her knees. "Liz! Patty!"

"What's wrong?" Liz stood up from the ground and walked over to her Amber. Her meister's limbs were shaking violently. She knelt down by her meister and asked "What's wrong."

Kid looked up at her and whispered very, very quietly "I hit my head, and now I can't stop shaking like this."

"Whoa! What happened?! Do it again!" Patty giggled, getting up off the ground and skipping over next to Liz. "You okay, sissy?"

"Yeah." Liz nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm good."

"Hey Amber," Kid whispered, getting the black haired girl's attention. Amber looked to him and cocked her head. Her bloody head. "You should stop that bleeding."

"Oh, this?" Amber felt her head and when blood stained her hand, she nodded and took her hair and covered her forehead, holding her hair in place. "I suppose you're right, Kiddie."

"Yup. That should work." Soul laughed. "But you should really get that looked at, too, ya' know?"

Tsubaki and Akiri stood up together with Blackstar. The girls were shaken up pretty bad. Especially Tsubaki. Blackstar laughed and yelled "Of course the might Blackstar comes out unscathed!"

Everyone, aside from Kid, Liz, and Keira were laughing. Liz helped her meister sit up and he couldn't stand when he tried.

Keira stood there, feeling like she was the only intelligent one in the group. "Tsubaki, you told me what Lord Death warned you guys about. So why are you all so happy?"

Everyone ignored her.

She was angry, but kept her temper as best as she could. Instead, she spoke up in a frustrated tone "Everyone listen!"

They all set their attention on Keira.

The short haired brunette looked over her 'friends' and spat "Doesn't anyone realize what this means? The people, as we all know, are after Lord Death and Death the Kid. You guys are laughing now, but don't you realize this is an awful event and can only lead to the uprising Lord Death was talking about over shinigami? Did that cross any of your minds?"

Maka and Tsubaki looked at each other with high concern. Patty and Blackstar furrowed their eyebrows. Soul, Akiri, and Amber gave troubled looks. Liz was clearly horrified and Kid was obviously anxious.

"My, oh my~ That didn't cross your minds, did it?" Keira shook her head in disbelief. How could these people be so _stupid_?! "I hope you know what will most definitely happen now."

"I'm going to see father." Kid panicked, trying to get up. When his arms crumbled beneath him, his head smacked the ground... hard. Blood flowed out of his forehead like it had Amber and he began hallucinating. He could no longer move at all. In the hallucination, the skies turned from orange sun set to sepia on and off.

"Don't talk, Kid. You're not supposed to." Liz stood up, carrying Kid so he faced her back. He started coughing lightly. "Damn it, you moron. Let's go to the mansion, everyone."

"Why?" Everyone asked.

"The mansion we live in is likely the most stable built house in Death City. It's built with the same strength as DWMA."

"How do you know that, Liz?" Blackstar asked as they started on their way.

"Kid told me. Besides, we have some nice first aid stuff at the mansion that will most definitely come to good use."

"Right." I'm pretty scratched up." Akiri moaned. "Did you look at the ground? The concrete is all split up."

"I wonder where the big split occurred this time." Soul turned to Maka. "This is by far the worst quake we've suffered. Oh shoot! Watch out!"

A brick apartment thirty some feet in front of them toppled over to the ground in a loud clatter of falling stone clashing against broken street.

The kids jumped back, startled.

Soul, Maka, and Amber ran to their apartment to get Amber's shi so they could go. For some reason, Blair wasn't there.

Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Akiri ran to Tsubaki's house so Akiri could get her machete and leave.

Keira quickly went to her hotel room, said goodby to her mother, and grabbed her machete, heading back off to Tsubaki's house where the four got together and left to go to Kid's mansion.

After they finally got to the mansion, Liz lay Kid down on a couch. He had stopped moving completely. His eyes closed. _Looks like he passed out_. Liz thought.

Akiri, Amber, and Keira looked around the big house. They had never been in such a big home.

Patty shut the doors and locked them once everyone was inside. The house was bright and tidy. Nothing was out of place.

"How long does it take you guys to clean this place?" Soul asked Liz.

Liz smiled and laughed "Well, Kid has house cleaners and people like that who are payed to clean the house and do all that. They come every once a week. After they leave, Kid cleans anything they miss and checks the house like... five times to make sure nothing is out of place. Then he measures all the paintings and... you see what I'm getting at."

"I got it." Soul grinned. "What a neat freak."

Liz got out a first aid kit and showed everyone what was inside it. She then took out a bandage and wiped the blood from Kid's face, patching up his forehead.

Amber did the same with her face and forehead. She went to the bathroom to go wash the blood out of her hair.

Maka took her shoes off and got an icepack from Kid's freezer and wrapped a rag around it, placing it against her aching toe.

Soul wasn't hurt much, but her did have a scrape on his right hand that he disinfected and cleaned well.

Tsubaki inspected herself and found that her knees were quite scraped. She did what soul did.

Akiri looked at herself in one of the bathroom mirrors which Liz directed her to and saw nothing was wrong.

Liz and Patty were all good, taking care of their meister's resting body.

Keira wasn't hurt, but she was frustrated by the people around her.

The dark evening set in fast and Kid had woken up all better. He was disturbed by his dreams, but wasn't hallucinating or shaking anymore.

Tsubaki prepared dinner using ingredients she found in the kitchen and everyone ate pasta.

"This reminds me of an anime I watched." Akiri stated randomly as they sat and ate at the long dinner table.

"What anime?" Blackstar asked.

"Well... the _pasta~_." Akiri sighed "Never mind. Thank you, Tsubaki, for preparing our delicious meal."

Amber held back giggles. She _still_ hadn't gotten over the Japanese pronunciation Akiri used.

"No problem." Tsubaki giggled. "It's not my ingredients, though. You can thank Kid and the girls for this meal."

Akiri faced Kid, who sat at the head of the table next to Liz and Patty. "Thank-"

Kid shook his head and sighed. He had finished his meal. He stood up, gave a thankful look to Tsubaki and an apologetic look to everyone else as he left the room.

The TV turned on in the other room. It sounded like the news station.

None of them could blame him for being desperate to see the news.

After everyone was finished they entered the main room where Kid was watching TV.

They sat around, all watching the devastation unfold.

Madness filled the rampaging citizens along Wall street and Washington DC and any other populated city and its streets. People screaming and shouting for change.

A news reporter man sat up straight in his seat while the screen behind him showed images of the disaster. **"This is a terrifying sight for anyone to see. People everywhere are running through streets shouting. There are many people dead from being trampled to death as if it's 'black Friday'. Tonight is very important. We are getting constant updates.**

**The people of America are demanding answers. The new split went through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. What the US government has concluded is Lord Death, as most know by now, is guilty of holding important information from the rest of the world and cruel treatment of-" **

Kid changed the TV channel before the man could continue. His friends raised eyebrows at him, but he ignored them and flipped to another news station.

"**After the details of what Lord Death was hiding from us were revealed, the US government is acting quickly to restrain the accused death god of murder, holding secret information, and child neglect-"**

"**World meetings have been taking place for the past few days and an important meeting between England and France in a discussion of the breaks Europe has been facing was interrupted by another troubling break, splitting right down the middle of Europe completely. North America and South America have both suffered a dreadful earthquake, shattering homes and poorly built building to the ground in minutes. The total impact this has had on everyone in the world is yet to be assessed. **

**The US government is planning on taking down Lord Death and his son after listening to the requests of millions of US citizens and even taking into consideration millions of people from other parts of the world.**

**After listening to a troubling audio recording of Lord Death's son-"**

"**Let's have a moment of silence to honor the victims of these earthquakes and hear what their families blame for the earthquakes and their views of what the future may hold."**

"**Let us pray that the earth is not ending for we are having a late apocalypse-"**

"**That's right, Lauren, the people are waiting for things to settle and-"**

"**Oh George, you're so smart. But no, I doubt Lord Death and especially his son did anything to cause this. For the people that are watching this show, remember the god you all look up to who protects us from evil kishins and witches and that no matter what faith you are, Lord Death's presence in undeniable. Lord Death couldn't have caused this, no matter what others say. I have been true to him ever since I was little, born a weapon, and after learning to control my powers, I followed my dreams as a news caster. There is no evil in his heart, I am sure."**

"That's nice." Akiri commented with a friendly glow on her face. "Not everyone hates Shinigami-Sama."

"**Come on, life isn't over. There is still-"**

The TV suddenly shut off. In fact, all the light went out and the mansion was filled with the darkness the night provided.

"What just happened?" Amber asked.

"It's just a power out." Liz sighed. "Probably late effects from the earthquake. But that doesn't seem right..."

"How come?" Maka perked up from her seat on a chair.

Liz got up and peaked out of a shaded window. "The city is black too. Only a few street light are working."

"Ha! The power went out! The power went out!" Patty laughed.

Tsubaki walked into the kitchen through the darkness and came back to the others with a hand held radio.

She turned it onto a news station. At first there was static, but everyone huddled around her to listen as the voices broke through the blank noise and were clearly heard.

"**FBI has gone to Death City to arrest Lord Death and his son."**

Kid walked away from the group and Soul ran up to peak out of the shaded window Liz had peered through.

He ran into the bathroom and closing the door, breathed onto the glass and wrote in _'42-42-564'_.

His father appeared on the screen.

"How are you Kiddo? Remember, you're not supposed to talk-"

"The FBI are going to arrest you." Kid whispered worriedly. "You've got to get-"

"I can't leave Death City. But the city is nearly destroyed. If the city is destroyed completely, I'll be free to go where I please."

"Really? Aside from that, you can't-"

"I love you, Kiddo. Never forget that."

"I love you too. But-"

There was a knock on the door leading into the death room and someone shouted something.

"Sorry, Kiddo. I've got to go now. Stay safe."

"Father! Wait-"

The mirror went back to its bare reflection. Kid stared back at himself. He was sick with fear and could taste iron in his mouth.

Flashing red and blue vehicles zoomed along the streets of Death City from what Soul could see. Liz was now at his side with a dumbfounded expression.

Tsubaki trembled as Kid got out of the bathroom, a scared look on his face, and stood next to her, his eyes wide.

"**Breaking news; Lord Death has been arrested and is being held in the death room in Death City. The FBI are on their way to where Lord Death's son, Death the kid, is thought to be at."**

Tsubaki dropped the radio, the object shutting off.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, standing there stupidly.

Kid was the first to move. "Father... I must see him. Shinigami can not be destroyed." he whispered, walking up to the door. He seemed to be in some sort of trance, ignoring any meek protests his friends uttered.

"Kid, don't be stupid." Liz grabbed her meister's shoulders. Kid didn't look at her. "You're father can handle things. You can't. You need to hide." She placed a kiss lightly on her meister's forehead, snapping Kid out of whatever trance he was in. "You have to escape in order to keep shinigami alive. We'll meet you once the threat is gone."

"Liz... I will." He felt heat build in his cheeks and thought it was weird when Liz kissed his head, but right now he had no time to think of things like that. He needed to keep shinigami from dying out, even if he would be the one to carry out the mission of doing so.

He ran into one of the many hallways after saying "Meet me in the garden. That is where you'll find me."

Down one of the dark halls was a chest at the very end. Kid moved the chest and there was a sort of screen placed over a crawl space at the bottom of the wall.

Moving inside feet first, Kid took the screen with him and pulled the chest as close and flat against the wall as he could. Then he placed the screen back over the crawl space.

He was slender enough to fit easily and slip through the metal space. He knew how to get out from there. _Forward, right, left, right, forward, left, right, down, right, up, left, down_... and so on. Although the space was winding, he knew the directions by heart. The space was made like that on purpose since each time you had to make a turn, you were presented with multiple choices. This space was created for occasions like this where his life was threatened. He couldn't see, but it's like a person who plays by ear and is playing the piano. He's got the rhythms down.

Back in the mansion. The door was thrown open.

The agents or whoever the heavy dressed and armed men were surprised to see what lay in front of them.

Six kids standing, all holding weapons and looking at the men with serious expressions.

"Maka," Soul grinned in his weapon form. Excitement beating out from his heart. "Let's do this."

"Right." Maka glared at the men pointing their tasers at them. "You don't have the right to step one step into this house. And if you do, we have the right to fight back."

"That's right. That's one of our rights being USA born." Amber giggled, holding her two swords at her sides. "I've never had to fight like this before."

"Be more serious." Keira snapped. "This is no time for laughing."

"For our friend and for Lord Death." Blackstar stated, willing to say anything to these terrible people.

"For the rights shinigami has allowed us to keep. For the balance shinigami gives us humans." Liz held Patty firmly in her hand. Hate for the men lining in front of them growing. "In Death's name,"

Patty finished with a laugh "We judge you."


	23. Chapter 23 Escape Death City

"Drop your weapons." one of the armed men demanded as the kids in front of his troopers looked at them with disgust. "Do you know the whereabouts of Death the Kid?"

"Of course we do, and you know we do." Maka scoffed. "As if we would tell you anything. We know what you want to do with our friend and we're not letting that happen."

"We don't want to fight you." another man stated. "Come on, kids. I doubt that you even know how to use those weapons."

"Put one foot in this house and we'll prove that assumption is inaccurate." Liz glared. "Go on. Do it. I dare you."

The moment one of the men stepped foot in the dark house, flashing light behind his men, Liz shot him with her and Patty's soul. She didn't want to kill him... not yet, anyways.

"Men! Attack!" the wounded man shouted and tons of agents piled into the house, tasers and guns and all.

"You give us no choice." Maka ran up, scythe in hand, and hit three men at the same time with the back of the blade. "You shouldn't have walked into the house of the grim reaper. We are his friends, after all. There isn't a chance that we would be ignorant in fighting."

"I'll take you all out at the same time!" Blackstar shouted, hitting two standing men with his soul wavelength and swatting two others who stood behind them with Tsubaki's handle, sending them to the floor.

Five men pointed their guns at Maka, her having such a giant weapon. But luckily, Amber was ignored, her swords hidden behind her. She slipped behind the men before they could do anything, reached up, and slit each of their throats with one swipe of each arm.

"Amber! You're not supposed to kill them unless..." Maka stopped herself. They were about to _kill_ her and Amber saved her. But, their blood was squirting all over her until they fell face first on the ground. That wasn't too pleasant. "Never mind that. Keep fighting!"

Keira was serious as always. She speedily ran up to one of the men when a taser pointed at her and managed to hit the taser gun away with her machete and stab the man in the chest. "I don't always kill people, but when I do, I prefer their death to be clean."

Blackstar hit another man with his soul wavelength and it seemed the agents were finally quitting on the fight. None had called for backup and only five of them were still alive.

"Let them be." Akiri said as her friends charged once again for the five standing agents. Keira, Liz, and Maka stopped, but Amber and Blackstar kept fighting. Akiri hadn't laid one hand on anyone since the fight began. "Do you really want to kill all these men and you yourself be put on a record having killed FBI agents or whatever the hell they are?"

"I suppose not." Liz sighed "But it's too late now, isn't it? It's best we kill them all by now in order to have no witnesses."

"It isn't right, though. fifteen men came in the beginning and only five... wait... only four are still standing. They probably have families and-"

"But they're perfectly willing to rip apart other families. Kid and his father. Did you forget that already?" Maka snapped angrily. "They were perfectly willing to tear them apart."

"But are you?"

"I've been fighting monsters for years." Maka answered bitterly. "It's not the shape or size that matters. It's the soul. If these men seek power and are willing to kill others and tear families and break bonds and assassinate and arrest innocent children, I know their soul is too corrupt to be in this world."

"Fine." Akiri sighed. "Do what you want. But Maka, in the end, you're the one covered in blood."

There was a scream. A shrill, agonizing scream. It was Amber. She had been shot in the leg.

"Damn it!" she yelped, falling to the floor and clutching her left thigh. "Ow~! Oh~! That really hurts!"

Akiri ran over to Amber's side, noticing the floor was covered in the agents blood. Ripping off a part of her green T-shirt, she wrapped the torn cloth around Amber's wound and tied it tightly. Helping Amber stand with one of the girl's arms around her shoulder, the two walked (Amber limped) over to the rest of the standing, startled group.

"It's my show now!" Blackstar smirked. He knocked all the men to the ground with his wavelength. But before he could do any further damage, like Akiri had said, Tsubaki yelled "Let them be!"

"But Tsubaki!" Blackstar gasped. He was shot in the foot by one of the living men laying on the floor.

"Damn you! Even now you're willing to murder children!" Liz shot the man in the head, along with the others still alive. They weren't dead, but their wounds worsened as Liz loaded out on them.

"Stop it!" Maka forced Liz to stop and said "They're all unconscious. We need to get to Kid."

Blackstar hobbled out. His wound wasn't as bad as Amber's, but it hurt just as much.

Kid pocked his head through the dirt. Inside the metal room he was in was a door leading outside into a bunch of trees. He opened the door and some dirt fell in. Not much, though. Most of it was pushed up by the door. He climbed out, taking a breath of fresh air.

As lights flashed in the front, no one bothers to check the back. He ran over to the fountain, out of the view of the streets, and waited for his friends.

His friend ran, a few walked, out the back door and greeted Kid.

Maka was in her usual outfit, but splattered with blood from toes to her head. Blackstar clutched his foot while Tsubaki helped him walk. Amber limped holding Akiri tightly, crimson fluid leaking through the bandage. Liz was trembling terribly from anger and fear. Patty transformed out of weapon form and was silent as a mouse, the smile gone from her face. Soul was out of weapon form, walking next to Maka. Keira was on her own to the side of them, her stoic nature showing. "Come on. We must get out of here before anyone else comes."

"We can't just sneak out. It isn't that easy." Maka sighed. "We're doomed for all I know. Kid is easily recognized, I'm covered in blood, and two of us are injured. It's obvious we're up to no good."

"Listen to me and maybe we will have a chance." Keira said placidly. "Given what we know, reinforcements will not be coming for the guys we just took out. What we need to do is find a way out of the city where we won't get caught by too many people."

"Hold on. I know a way to sneak Kid out without him being recognized. And Maka can shower really quickly in the mansion." Liz smiled, a _'brilliant'_ idea popping into her head.

"Alright." Amber grinned. "Anything works right now."

Maka showered as she had been told. Amber had the bullet removed along with Blackstar by the wonderful Tsubaki, in which they barely felt it. They were sewed up, and worked on walking without showing any pain left over.

Kid followed Liz up to her room. Liz snickered to herself as she opened up her and Patty's closet. Patty was downstairs with Blackstar and the rest of them, unlike Maka who's shower was taking place upstairs.

"Here's what we'll do." she pulled out a large box and set it on her bed. Opening it, she demanded "There will be no protests to what I am about to do to you."

Kid nodded. Desperate to get out of the city and keep shinigami alive.

Liz pulled out a bald cap, confusing Kid greatly. She managed to tuck all of Kid's hair inside and then reaching back into the box, pulled out three wigs. "I figured you would look pretty in any of them, but I'll have you choose from these three."

The first one was a short red Strawberry wig that reached a bit lower than his chin. Liz squealed happily, placing the wig precisely on Kid's head. "I also have colored contacts for you to choose from. I'll pick out three for you to pick out of once the wig is decided."

Even in dire situations, you can always rely on a fashionable teenager to be your guide out of trouble. "You can borrow some of Patty's clothes once you're all sorted out."

Why must Patty be the same size as Kid? Even a little bigger and taller.

The wig did look really cute on him, he had to admit. Maybe being a girl is fun? Liz took the adorable short wig off of Kid and pulled out the second choice. A blonde wig that when placed on his head, reached to his mid back. "I have hair dye for each of these colors so you can turn your eyebrows the same color as the wig. It's semi-permanent dye, but it wouldn't last long on you anyways, so don't worry."

Kid liked both the girly wigs Liz put on his head. She pulled out the last choice she had selected for her meister after removing the blonde wig. It was a dark green wig with side bangs and the ends of the hair reached down to Kid's shoulders.

"Which one did you like the best?" Liz giggled, taking the green wig off.

"The red." Kid whispered. He was embarrassed to even_ have _a favorite choice.

"Why?"

"It's cute and red and it-"

"Makes you feel like a pretty girl?"

"Damn you, Liz."

Liz placed the red wig back on Kid's head and had him choose between bright green contacts, light blue contacts, and dark brown contacts. Kid chose the bright green.

Liz carefully placed the green contacts on Kid's eyes. At first it was irritating to him, but he got used to it.

He looked at his reflection in a mirror in front of the two beds and thought, that even though he was a boy, he was feminine looking enough to be a very pretty girl.

"It's a good thing you're so slender and short and you have such a girly face or we could never pull this off."

Was that an insult or something?

"Alright let's find you some cute clothes."

Liz had Kid stand so she could pick out a perfect outfit for him. She pulled out a short puffy sleeved green top for him to wear and he took his old tops off and put on the green. That made his cuteness level rise tremendously. Liz then picked out a pair of puffy shorts and Kid hesitantly put them on, using a brown leather belt to keep them up. Liz grabbed a pair of Patty's brown cowgirl boots and made Kid put them on.

Overall, she was pleased with her work. Kid would make a beautiful girl. "You can do this whenever you need to hide from this point on. You can put all this stuff on. Alright, what shall your girl name be?"

Kid shrugged. Liz laughed "I've got it. Your girl name is Robin Sherbert."

"Sherbert... Like the ice cream?" Kid whispered.

"You've got to sound like a girl too."

"Like the ice cream?" Robin asked. He was talking in a high pitch, almost sing-song like an Italian sound. It was girly, alright. Liz was surprised at how feminine he actually sounded while talking like that. For some reason he pronounced things like a Russian while talking in this character's voice. That was random, but it worked well.

When they got downstairs, Maka had borrowed a pink dress from Patty and everyone went into the backyard.

"Who's that?" Soul asked. Referring to Kid. He knew who it was, but it didn't seem possible.

"You know who this is. But for now on when he's dressed like this, you will all call him Robin." Liz smiled. "My work here is done."

"Wow. Kid, you're a really pretty girl." Blackstar ran up to Kid, ignoring the pain in his foot, and started poking his forehead. "Who knew a death god could make such a beautiful girl."

"Stop that." he said quietly in his Russian/Italian/female voice. "It's not like I would make fun of you for having to cross dress."

"Oh fine... _Robin_."

"She's so cute! I wanna take her home!" Amber giggled, walking up to Kid and wrapping her arms around him/her. "I want you in a basket!"

"_I wanna take you home_?" Akiri shook her head, thinking of another anime. "Alright. We've got to go."

"We can just walk out now, can't we?" Patty asked. "While it's still dark?"

"Since Kid was never taken, I bet the city is on lock-down." Keira sighed. "But, we can always try. Yet again... Amber, Akiri, and I are all holding weapons which can't transform into humans. So we may be suspicious. It's not like we can hide them either, since chances are everything will be inspected if we try to leave."

"I know where to go." Robin smiled slightly. "We've all got to put in our every effort. I know where an escape rout is that no other person in Death City knows."

"Where is it?" Soul asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't say. But, follow me and you'll find out."

"I thought you weren't supposed to talk." Maka commented as they headed out of the garden.

"It's easier to talk like this than to talk how I usually do." was his answer.

They managed to walk out and onto the streets without being caught. As they walked along the streets, they ran into some familiar faces.

"Kim, Jacqueline." Maka greeted them. "What are you guys doing out here?"

"What about you?" Kim asked, raising an eyebrow. "We're trying to get out like everyone else."

"Yeah. The border of Death City is crawling with cops." Jacqueline sighed. "Anyways, what about you guys?"

"You know about Lord Death?" Kim asked. "How he was-"

"Yeah." Blackstar answered for the rest of them. "We all got the news."

"Who're you four?" Jacqueline asked, not knowing Keira, Akiri, Amber, or _Robin_.

Soul introduced them. "This is Keira, Akiri, Amber. And this is Robin." and whispered to the girls "Robin is Kid... I know it doesn't look that way. Just call him Robin."

"Oh my..." the girls laughed. "Got it. Do you guys know how to get out?" Kim asked.

Robin/Kid walked up to them and quietly in his girl voice answered "I do. Follow me if you want to get out alive. Well... get out at all, that is." There was more laughing and Robin's face grew red as a tomato. Soon the paleness came back and she/he snapped "I'm not kidding."

"Okay, okay." Kim's face went back to her casual expression. "We'll follow you. We want to get out, too."

"I know a place we can go after we escape." Akiri spoke up. "Robin, come on. Let's go."

Robin walked in front of everyone, sneaking around building in the dark, police car lighten night. They found themselves at a giant fence near one of the homes bordering the end of Death City. There was a recycling bin next to the house. Robin lifted the lid and climbed inside the bin. The bin seemed to be glued to the ground.

"Follow after me. Don't bother closing the top." Robin instructed. She/he let go of the bin's rim and fell into shadow. The others followed after, landing in some old paper and cans when they heard Kid/Robin speak up once again with instructions. "There is one path leading out. Follow it until you reach the end. It leads into the desert. Let's go."

After about twenty minutes of crawling, they all got out and found themselves standing in the frozen desert. Darkness surrounding them while starlight lit the black sky along with the bloody, laughing moon.

The city was far away. No lights but the flashing red and blue could be seen in the distance.

Kim and Jacqueline stretched out with Maka. Keira shook her head. What now? Soul and Blackstar talked to one another quietly while Tsubaki's expression read worried. Liz and Patty hugged each other tightly, silently saying au revoir to their home.

"The mansion has kept us safe for so long." A tear dripped down Liz's cheek. "It's gone."

"Maybe one day we can go back." Patty frowned. "Please, sissy, look on the bright side. We got out safely."

Amber walked up to Kid/Robin and asked "Are you gonna wear that for now on?"

"As long as I need to." Kid whispered, talking in his normal voice while they were safe and alone. "Sadly, I didn't bring a change of clothes. I'll be in this for a while."

Amber giggled and held her shi close to her sides. "It's kind of cold, but as long as I have all of you, I'm warm. If I could, I would make a fire to keep everyone from shivering."

"Same here." Kid frowned and said quietly. "But, for now, let's keep on moving."

"Where to?" Keira spoke up from the rest of them. "Where are we going now?"

"You'll be following me." Akiri answered them. "Like I said, there's a place I know that we can go to and be safe. But it's kind of far."

"I'll take you all to a 'nearby' train station." Robin answered, back to talking as a girl. "I know Nevada well. There's a train station a few miles from here. Akiri, where would we be taking us? We'll take a train there."

"Up north." she smiled. "My papa has a house up by Yellowstone."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Maka asked.

"As long as the earth there doesn't explode, it's fine." Akiri grinned. "Maybe we can find some new dinosaurs there."

"I'm in." Amber laughed "I'd love to see some new dinosaurs... well... old... You know what I mean."

"We'll stick with you guys." Kim said. "There's no where for us to go now, anyways."

"Sounds good." Blackstar nodded to Kid. "You're gonna lead us to a train station, right, Robin?"

"Oh, yes." Robin/Kid giggled. He was growing into this character and felt like giving her a personality as well. He would develop this female personality over night perhaps. "Follow me."

The twelve walked. The night nearly freezing them. But they were all right, as long as they had each other to keep warm.

For now, that is.

They didn't sleep that night. It took them a few hours to actually get to the train station. When they got to the lonely, train station, they took the only train leading up north and east of where they are. They bought some tickets with money Kim luckily had and entered the nearly empty train. A few dark figures sat in seats around them.

Liz, Patty, and Kid/Robin sat next to each other. Kid in the middle. He wasn't going to take the contacts out yet. He would wait for them to be in that safe place Akiri was talking about before he would do that. Liz assured him it would be fine, since his body would clean any bacteria that may get trapped between the contacts and his eyes. Really, Kid wouldn't need to take out the contacts because of this. But he planned to for a little bit when he could. Along with taking off the wig and stuff. Only if he felt like it and could.

Blackstar, Tsubaki, and Maka sat with each other in another seat. Blackstar looking out to the night sky.

Soul, Kim, and Jacqueline sat by each other while Akiri, Amber, and Keira sat in another seat.

The night was silent.

They had successfully escaped Death City. They should be happy, right? But what about the others who didn't? They would probably be fine, but the safe kids couldn't help worrying. Especially Maka, who in panic and fright, had to leave Crona behind.

Kid his father. Maka left Crona and her father. Kim left Ox. Keira her mother.

They all left friends and family behind. They all had their losses that day.

But the next day was dawning, and the sun was beginning to rise. What waited ahead of them was unknown, and that was scary. In life, we are always wondering what's going to happen next. The unknown is frightening, we don't like it. But we deal with it every day. Uncertainty is better than fake security, because even when the future seems set, the wind can change and the tide can turn, giving an outcome unexpected.

**(Did you like this chapter? By the way, this ****_IS_**** going to be a long fanfiction as some may have already guessed. :3 Sorry there wasn't too much of a fight scene, but I hope you enjoyed it! :D)**


	24. Chapter 24 Day of travel Day of rest?

They exited the train at the stop closest to their destination.

"We have to walk the rest of the way. No trains can get closer to out house than any buffalo can." Akiri smiled, stretching out as they stood in the train station. "I can't wait to see my father! It's been a while."

"I don't wanna walk!" Blackstar whined. "No fair."

"Deal with it." Soul said all cool-like to Blackstar. The morning sun had risen and they were out of Nevada.

Not everyone had a happy glow to their face. Maka, and Kid/Robin both looked a little depressed.

"What's wrong, Maka?" Soul asked, walking up to his meister.

"N-nothing." Maka answered. "It's just... Crona. We didn't get Crona."

"I know. That's too bad, but they shoulder be fine."

"How do you know they'll be okay?"

"It's not that I know they will be okay. What I do know, is the chances of them being in harms way or okay are equal. But they didn't do anything, Crona, or Ox, or any of the others including Blair. We managed to escape, and they'll probably do that too once the cops blocking any city realize they're clean."

"Still..." Maka sniffed, looked down solemnly to the ground. "What about papa? He works so close to Lord Death so he must have-"

"He isn't Lord Death, Maka. If he's in trouble, the rest of the staff is in trouble. There's nothing we can do." Soul took Maka's hand in his. She blush lightly. "We've got to stay safe for them. If something bad does happen to them, the memory of them will live on in our hearts and they'll never truly be gone." Maka embraced Soul in a strong hug, squeezing him tightly. She kept holding his hand as they walked over to Tsubaki and Blackstar, a few tears managing to slip past her emerald eyes.

"Don't cry, Maka." Tsubaki leaned over and hugged her younger friend, seeing the tears in her eyes. "They will be okay."

"What about you, Robin?" Liz asked, Robin/Kid walking next to her, Patty to his other side.

"I..." Kid started with the girl voice in tact and perfectly mastered. "I'm fine but... Don't worry."

"Is it about Mr. Sherbert?"

_Father? Oh yes. My last name is Sherbert right now. _"Yes. I'm troubled by the predicament my father, Mr. Sherbert, is in." Robin looked up with a smile. "But, I know he would have wanted me to be safe. I'm worried about others like Mr. Albarn and doctor Stein. And Mr. Sid and Miss Nygus. And there's also Mrs. Marie."

"That's right. You're closer to the staff than all of us because of your father." Liz remembered. Kid talked to the entire staff more than any of them. He's known them longer. And one day, he would have been in charge of them and the school. "We're all worried. Don't worry too much, though."

"By the way," an excited grin came over Kid's face and every one of the friends looked at him/her. "Since I'm like this now, I decided to get into character."

"Oh no. Don't tell me you plan on bitching all the time." Blackstar sighed. "You can't do this to us."

"I'm not a bitchy girl." Robin laughed "I'm a fun girl! I developed a story and everything last night. You'll just have to deal with it whenever I'm like this."

"Fine, have fun." Soul frowned. "Since you're the only one of us who has to be like _that_, do whatever you want."

"Yea!" Robin giggled and turned to Liz. "Do I make a good girl?"

"Uh... kind of." Liz chuckled, somewhat embarrassed. "Sure you do. As long as you don't over-exaggerated the whole girl thing, I'm good."

"Okay." Robbin nodded to Akiri and said "Lead the way."

"Right." Akiri smiled "Follow me, everyone."

They walked along for hours in mountainous woodlands. They followed a long winding road. The air was chilly. Probably because with each step, the altitude grew higher and higher.

"These are the kinds of roads you've got to take a car on." Kim gasped, tired from walking uphill and downhill and up and down and left and right for so long.

"I agree." Jacqueline was right at Kim's side. "Can't we hitch hike?"

"We could if the roads here were more busy, but frankly, not a single car has passed us." Keira answered. "There isn't much we can do other than walk. Sure we'll be here for a long time walking, but it's better than being trapped in a city."

"What would you know? I'm a meister and even I get tired!" Kim complained. "You're a human." And to Jacqueline, "I can ride you, Jacqueline. Why don't we all fly? The humans can ride on our stuff."

"Sounds good. Tsubaki, let's fly." Blackstar instructed. Tsubaki did as told and Blackstar and her were up in the sky in less than a minute.

"Akiri, you want to ride with Soul and I in the front?" Maka asked.

"Oh sure, and I can lead us all from there." Akiri smiled. "Would that work?"

"I don't see why not. You're just a normal human, so your soul shouldn't mess with Soul and mine."

"Alright! Let's do this!" Soul turned into a scythe and Maka sat on him. Once they were floating a bit over the ground, Akiri climbed up and sat behind Maka, holding the pigtailed blonde's waist.

Maka and Akiri were on Soul high in the air with Tsubaki and Blackstar in a couple minutes.

"Ride with us, Keira." Jacqueline said. Once Kim was riding Jacqueline, Keira hopped up behind them, shaking slightly.

"You scared?" Kim asked the older, shaking girl.

"I'm fine." Keira answered, wrapping her arms around Kim's waist. "I've never flown like this before. But that's not an issue. Just fly already." Once the girls were in the air, Robin, Liz, Patty, and Amber were left on the ground.

"What happened to hiding who we are?" Robin asked.

"No one is around for miles." Liz answered.

"Fine." Robin sighed. "Liz, Patty, weapon form."

Liz and Patty flew into her hands and Robin/Kid summoned Beelzebub. Hopping on and getting his balance, Robin turned to Amber and said "Hop on and don't you dare let go."

"Um... okay." Amber walked over and got on the skateboard behind Kid. She could barely fit since Kid had to balance himself perfectly. But she wrapped her arms around his waist and things worked out. She started freaking out a bit when the skateboard left the ground, but once everyone was flying, going at a steady but fast speed, the normal humans were fine.

After another few hours of woodlands and a mountains, ear popping and yawns, Akiri pointed to a little cabin down on the ground in a small clearing of trees far from the road.

They landed there and the kids got out of weapon form and looked all around their surrounding.

Amber clung to Robin's waste. Taking a step off, she blushed. She was gripping him so hard she felt his chest and stomach. Kid could care less, but Amber couldn't help feel like the whole situation was weird. She may be a creep, but she was also scared and felt vulnerable when they first started flying. Soon she forgot the whole thing and joined Patty in climbing a tree.

Keira walked over to Akiri with Maka and asked "So this is your father's house?"

"Yes, it is." Akiri nodded. She walked up to the door and knocked.

"Who's there?" a Japanese or at least Asian sounding man called.

"It's Akiri and friends!" Akiri called back.

The door opened and a very Japanese looking man opened the door and embraced Akiri in a hug.

"I've missed you so much!" he stated. "I heard what happened. Your friends can all come inside. You are all welcome to stay."

Everyone entered the cabin. It was a small, wooden cabin. There was a little kitchen, a dining room, a living room, one bathroom, and two bedrooms with big beds. Akiri explained what was going on with everyone to her father and he said he was blessed to have the son of Lord Death in his house.

They chose who they would be sleeping with. Akiri's father would be sleeping in the living room with Kid. Amber would be sleeping with Liz, Patty, and Akiri. Soul would be sleeping with Blackstar, Tsubaki, Maka, Kim, and Jacqueline.

Kid took off the wig and bald cap, took out the colored contacts and washed them, placing them with his wig and bald cap on a coffee table in front of the couch he would be sleeping on.

"You want a change of clothes?" Akiri's father asked. "I have a son who is grown now and have clothes from when he was twelve."

"I'm not twelve." Kid stated.

"He was your height when he was twelve from the looks of it." Mr. Izumi laughed. "You are a short boy."

"I would be grateful if I could change my outfit." Kid agreed, whispering. It was hard to talk in his normal voice at the same volume he talked using _Robin's_ voice.

Mr. Izumi showed him a pile of clothes and Kid picked out black dress pants and a black T-shirt. For some reason, everywhere the air was warmer. Even in such high altitude. Kid took off his boots and clothes, setting them down on the coffee table with the wig and etc. including the brown boots he was wearing. He picked out black socks and put on dress shoes that fit his feet well.

That evening, everyone managed to sit at the dinner table at one time. Mr. Izumi had prepared some venison stew and everyone ate the tasty meal.

Mr. Izumi said "Watashitachi ga soto ni shokuji no tame ni, shizen ni kansha shimashou."

"What did he say?" Liz asked Akiri.

"He is telling us to thanks nature for giving us our meal." Akiri answered and spoke back to her father "Hai, chichi. Kore ga okonawa renakereba naranai."

"How do we do that?" Patty asked, taking in a big spoonful of soup. "Are you religious or something?"

"Don't ask something like that, Patty." Kid quietly snapped at the blonde.

"Well, yes. Are you?" Akiri asked.

"... We have Lord Death." Maka answered for Patty. "Go ahead and do what you do. You were going to say something."

"Right. It's Japanese, so you don't need to listen. We don't follow an organized religion. Our beliefs have been passed down the family like a bloodline. It's similar to other religions, but not the same. At least we don't think it's the same as any others. Lord Death and Kid are obviously gods, I'm not denying that fact. We believe in more than one thing."

"That sounds complicated." Blackstar commented.

"It all depends, I suppose." Akiri sat up straight in her seat and spoke in a monotone tone "Nata ni chikyū ni kansha shimasu. Anata wa watashitachi o yashinau. Anata wa subete no inochi o ataeru. Kami wa watashi o hogo shimasu. Watashi wa betsu no hi ni ikiru itadaki, arigatōgozaimasu. Watashi no tamashī wa kami ni zokushite imasu."

Her father finished with "Arigatō."

"That's sounds very pretty." Liz smiled kindly. "It's always nice to hear other languages. Especially pretty ones."

"I was taking a French class before I came to Death City for a few years in school." Amber spoke very prettily "J'ai seulement appris tellement de choses."

"What did you say?" Keira asked.

"I just learned so much. J'aurais dû prendre une classe différente. Je n'aimais pas l'enseignant. Elle m'a à peine tought rien. J'ai dû apprendre tout sur l'Internet. Cette femme stupide. J'aurais dû prendre en espagnol!"

"I took Spanish in school." Keira stated. "Yo tenía un compañero en la clase que habla español como primera lengua. Aprendí mucho en esa clase. ¿Alguno de ustedes hablan un idioma aparte del francés, español y japonés?"

"What did you say?" Blackstar asked.

"Do any of you speak another language aside from French, Spanish, and Japanese?"

"I know a little German and Russian." Kid declared. "I was curious about German and Russian because father was talking about meeting up with some foreign speakers on a mission who could translate and stuff when Patty, Liz, and I went on a mission in Europe and-"

"He looked up the language because it sounded pretty and cool." Liz finished.

Kid smiled. "Liz! Ty vspomnil! YA tak tronuta. Kha, kha."

"What are you saying?"Maka asked.

"To sum up what I said, I'm glad Liz remembered the mission." Kid replied.

"How could I forget?!" Liz puffed out her cheeks. "That was a wild goose chase! That stupid witch had us good. It took forever to find her."

"One week-"

"It felt like forever."

"Izvinite, chto poshli na takoy dolgoy poyezdki."

"Stop speaking in Russian, Kid."

"Ay ~ No on uspokaivayet moyu bol' v gorle."

"You know more than the last time I've heard you." Liz grinned. "Speak in German, now."

"Wie Sie wünschen, Lizzy. Für ich liebe den Klang dieser Sprachen. Ich werde sagen, was du nicht verstehen. Du bist mein Sonnenschein. Mein Nur Sonnenschein. Du mach mich glücklich wenn himmel grau bist. du wird nie wissen, lieb, wie viel ich lieben du. bitte nicht nehmen in mein Sonnenschein weg."

"Are you sure that's accurate?" Maka asked.

"I'm pretty sure it isn't." Kid whispered in reply. "I did learn everything I know from the internet, and to a native speaker it probably is a jumble of words. But close enough, right?"

"True." Tsubaki smiled. All of them laughed. For once that day, they were enjoying themselves.

That night, the cabin was dark and everyone was laying where they had planned. Liz and Patty slept next to one another in bed with Akiri and Amber.

"Are things gonna be all right?" Patty asked in a hushed tone as the dark night settled in on them.

"I don't know." Liz hugged Patty tightly. Thoughts filling her minds, some good, some bad. She had a feeling in her gut that something big was going to happen soon and would change her life forever. It was in her gut, it was in her head. She couldn't settle down now. Not when Lord Death had been arrested and her meister is uneasy. Not when the world is so messed up. How could it get worse? "I hope things will turn out right."

Blackstar and Soul slept next to one another.

"Do you think Lord Death will be executed?" he asked.

"I don't know." Soul answered. "It's only a matter of time before action will be taken. I suggest we just get lots of sleep and hope for the best."

Blackstar was thinking about Patty and Kid. They were two very important people in his life. "We can't let them kill Kid."

"Kid's our friend. That's something we wouldn't allow in any situation. You worried, Star?"

"Yeah."

"Good night. Try to sleep."

In the living room, Kid slept on one couch while Mr. Izumi slept on another.

Kid was sleeping, his mind playing tricks on him in this rested state.

_He was tied up by his wrists above his head, back against a bed. His ankles were tied down at the bed's sides, his legs apart._

_The bed he was on was white. The room was sepia and the floor was black. He wore a tightly tied black robe. Kid struggled against the restraints for what seemed to be forever._

_Birds squawked in the distance. Vultures? Kid felt his heart beating out of his chest. He hyperventilated. Scared out of his mind by the vultures now in sight, who watched him with patient eyes._

_A man walked up to him, seeming to appear out of thin air in front of the bed. Kid recognized the man as Noah._

_Noah was in his usual clothes. He watched Kid, viewing him top to bottom. A vulture flew onto the bed next to Kid's left shin. Another flew up on the opposite side and they did so until the surrounded him. Noah watched Kid with a sick smile one could mistake as kind if they didn't know his intentions. What are his intentions?_

"_How are you, little shinigami?" Noah asked smoothly without moving a muscle._

_Kid was frozen with fear. The birds. Noah. The sepia toned__world._

"_Don't you have manners?" Noah smiled. "Birds are your friends. Shinigami, you're just like a vulture. A human-like god of a vulture. Feasting on the dead. Join your friends."_

_The birds began pecking at his flesh. He felt their every bits and rip. He screamed, trying even harder to break free, but couldn't. The white sheets of the bed soaking in red. As the birds pecked him, Noah climbed onto the bed. The grown man crawling over him and leaning in, face to face. His knees in between Kid's legs and his arms by Kid's sides pressing down against the bloody bed._

_Screams wouldn't stop what was going to happen. What was going to happen?_

_Noah pressed one hand against Kid's stomach, and Kid coughed up black feathers._

"_Just like a bird." Noah commented. "You're all mine." his other hand pushed down on Kid's chest. Tears streamed down the young shinigami. "Your body. Your mind." Noah leaned in, his lips by Kid's ear and his eyes observing his every move. Kid felt an extreme pain in his chest and stomach and looked down. Noah's hands were disappearing inside him in a red glow. Blood gushing from where the man's hands entered __made his robe __sticky._

_Noah whispered "Your Soul is mine~"_

Kid woke up screaming. He tasted iron in his mouth and swallowed, pressing his teary face into a pillow and keeping himself from coughing up blood.

Mr. Izumi turned on a little lamp light and walked over to Kid. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern.

Kid shook his head. He needed Liz and Patty. He needed them now!

He got what he needed. Liz had heard and came rushing in with Patty. The girls hugged Kid tightly, comforting him in any way necessary.

Maka came into the room, startled by the scream.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly.

"Kid had a nightmare." Liz answered.

"A nightmare!" Soul exclaimed, walking into the room. "That must have been a terrible nightmare to wake up screaming bloody murder."

"Is Kid okay?" Blackstar and Tsubaki asked, entering the room.

"He's fine!" Liz snapped at all of them. Kid wouldn't want people to know and she knew that very well. "Go back to bed. I'm sorry, but this isn't your concern."

"What the-" Maka was about to yell back but Soul stopped her, shaking his head.

"Let it go, Maka. It's obvious he doesn't want us to know why he had a nightmare and he wouldn't want to worry us."

"We're already worried about him." Maka walked back to the room, upset. Soul followed after her. So did Tsubaki.

Blackstar followed as well.

Once Kid had calmed down, Liz and Patty went to bed. Mr. Izumi shut off the light and did the same.

As Kid slept, hugging a pillow tightly and facing out of his side, Blackstar crept into the room.

"What's wrong with you?" He whispered quietly with no intentions of his questions to be answered. Moonlight hit the room perfectly, creating a mystical scene. Blackstar bent down and looked blankly into Kid's sleeping face. "Those bad people aren't here anymore... so why? Why are you effected like this?"

_Kid's strong_. Blackstar thought to himself, sneaking out of the room. _How could someone so strong be so vulnerable simply in sleep?_

"_One night has come, no shades of red._

_The moon shining, the stars aglow. _

_Rest your head, upon thy bed._

_And space shall lull you so."_

**(I made this poem because I felt like adding it in. It is MINE! I know the language part was random, but I felt like adding it just cause I can. I got every translation on the internet, so I'm sure some parts of it are inaccurately translated. Oh well! :D Hope you liked this chapter!)**


	25. Chapter 25

"Kid, do you want any breakfast?" Liz asked in the morning. While everyone explored the forest around the cabin, Kid lay on the couch cuddled in a blanket.

He shook his head. He didn't want to eat anything. He barely wanted to get up. Or would standing and exploring with the others be better? Kid had tried to hide the aftermath of being kidnapped and was successful until last night. He didn't want them to worry, and he didn't want to be asked any questions. Some of the looks the others gave him before they exited the house were either of concern, confusion, or some other emotion that wasn't too friendly.

"Come on, Kid." Liz pulled him off the couch and smoothed out his hair.

After being forced to rinse his mouth and clean up, Liz managed to get him out of the cabin, although she failed to make him eat breakfast.

The others looked at him once he was out in the yard. Finally he was awake, eyes wide, scanning the landscape.

"What's up, Kid?" Maka ran over and asked. "Your... nightmare last night... was that of-"

"Don't worry, Maka." Kid interrupted. "It's nothing... Those dreams would be stupid to worry about. The content in the nightmares happened in the past... Don't ask, okay?"

"Um... Got it." Maka nodded. "So, you wanna go look around and stuff with Soul and I?"

"I don't see why not." he smiled.

"Great! Let's go then."

"Can I come along too?" Liz asked before Maka could walk off with Kid and Soul by her side.

"Of course, Liz." Maka waved Liz forward. "Let's all go together."

Blackstar, at that time, was climbing a pine tree. He probably shouldn't have, considering the sap leaking out was making his hands stick to the branches.

Patty watched and giggled as he climbed up. "Higher! Higher!" she chanted. "Blackstar! You've got to join the stars in the sky!"

"I'm already the biggest man there is!" he proclaimed, sitting up on the tallest branch he could. The view was amazing. "No weakling can climb as high as I, the mighty Blackstar!"

Patty was up in a flash next to him. Blackstar wore a look of astonishment and horror as Patty swung upside-down on the branch by her legs.

"D-don't do that, P-Patty!" Blackstar watched her closely, making sure he could save her if anything was to go awry.

"Only brave people can do this!" Patty declared. "Play with me, Blackstar!"

"Come on, Patty..." Blackstar moaned. "At least sit up right."

"Oh fine." Patty pursed her lips and got herself back up straight. Blackstar grabbed her hand, worried she would attempt to jump off or something. She couldn't be that stupid... or could she?

Patty looked down at her hand and looked back up at Blackstar with her big blue eyes and a bright smile. "Why are you holding my hand?"

"I don't want you to fall off."

"Is that so... I don't want you to fall off either." She held his hand back.

So here they are, together at the top of a tree sitting on a steady branch, holding hands.

Down from below, Amber spotted the pair and in her head sang _Patty and Blackstar sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!_

Tsubaki, Akiri, and Keira were chatting down below.

"Let's talk about something girly." Akiri suggested a topic of conversation. "Any boys you like?"

"No." Keira answered with a sour laugh. "As if I'd like any stupid pigs."

"Not all guys are pigs." Tsubaki stated, furrowing her eyebrows. "Why would you-"

"Out of these ones-"

"Kid and Blackstar and Soul aren't pigs."

"Kid isn't, anyways..." Akiri trailed off, remembering back when she was investigating with Amber, Soul, and Maka. Soul had a gross-man moment when he attempted to peek on the changing girls. Luckily, his attempts were soiled by none other than the girl he had to sleep next to, Maka of the Albarn. "Soul has his dirty moments, from what I have witnessed. I'm not sure about Blackstar."

"Well... I suppose Blackstar can be kind of... _like _that." Tsubaki said hesitantly, hoping she was not disgracing her meister. "Like Soul, he has his moments."

"Oh well. Let's get onto another topic." Keira sighed, rolling her eyes at the girls. "How about we discuss what we're gonna do here while we must stay."

"Don't know." Akiri shrugged. "It takes hours for father to get food and clean water at the store so we had to get it every time we left our house and traveled out. I wish we didn't live in such an isolated place."

"Good for us now, at least, being all alone out here." Keira faintly smiled.

"Sure. Let's think of the good side of being here. It's better to say the safe side." Tsubaki giggled. "Let's leave boys and such out of it."

Meanwhile, Kim and Jacqueline chatted about the others. Both were awaken last night by Kid but were too tired to check.

"You're actually worried about him?" Jacqueline asked, slightly amazed but barely showing it. "I thought you were the kind of person who wouldn't care."

"Even after the incident with the showers and all, that doesn't mean I want him to actually... suffer."

"Who does?"

"You would be surprised."

"Even after DWMA found out you're a witch, you were still accepted. It's nice that that happened, but isn't it odd?"

"What part?"

"That they were fine with you coming back."

"I don't think of it much." Kim admitted. "Honestly, I'd rather not."

While everyone was doing their thing, Kid, Maka, Soul, and Liz were heading off together nowhere in particular out in the woods.

"Akiri told me last night that these woods are homes to bears and elk and even some buffalo." Maka mentioned. "We better keep our eye out for any in case of danger."

"Don't worry, Maka." Soul grinned. "I'm sure the split has decreased the amount of wildlife in the west greatly."

"I'd be worried about dinosaurs walking around these woods." Liz commented, her eyes shooting back and forth, taking in the details of the woods. "How about you, Kid?"

"I'm with you, Liz." Kid answered. "It's one thing to see something you know about, it's different when it's something you don't."

"That's right." Soul agreed. "What is more frightening than anticipation and the unknown?"

"Did you hear that?" Maka asked randomly.

"Hear what?" Liz cocked her head.

"That!" Maka shut everyone up and they heard what sounded like tons of little growls.

"Where is that coming from?" Kid asked.

"Up ahead." Maka pointed forward into a large shrubbery about twenty feet away.

"Let's get out of here." Liz shivered, holding onto Kid's shoulders. "What if it's an angry demon who wants to eat us?"

"Not because I think it's a demon, but we should get back to the others in case what we're hearing is some sort of dinosaur." Soul agreed with Liz. "It's better we're safe than to stay and be eaten."

"Come on." They left the woods and met up with the others. Blackstar and Patty had climbed down the tree and everyone came over to the four with curious looks.

"What's going on? It's like you just left." Kim raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen?"

"We heard growling." Maka answered. "If you can, get weapons. When we walked back, it sounded like they were heading for us."

"Got it." Jacqueline transformed into her weapon form, a lantern, and Kim wielded her, awaiting to see whatever would greet them out of the woodland barrier.

Patty and Liz transformed into twin pistols, landing in each of Kid's hands. He felt like fighting wouldn't do him any harm in his condition, and that his condition was getting better. At least his physical condition, anyways.

Soul turned into a scythe. Tsubaki went onto Blackstar's hands. And because their weapons were inside, Keira, Amber, and Akiri dashed into the house to guard it from anything that may charge at their shelter.

Out of the woods, about four familiar creatures came running from the trees and at the waiting kids. The creatures were those feathery, not-too-big-not-too-small things. That's right! They're Velociraptors.

Charging at the group, the creatures jumped, threatening to sink their talons into the kids' flesh.

Kid was the first to react, shooting one down before it could rip at Maka's face. Blackstar came in right after, in order to regain his stardom from the scene, he sliced one raptor's neck before it could bite him.

Maka didn't have to do much. Soul's blade sliced through one raptor in seconds, it's body now in two.

Kim didn't even have to fight. Kid shot the raptor that was for sure planning to gouge her eyes out with its extended claws. The prehistoric beings lay on the ground, leaking blood.

Everyone got out of weapon form and the three human girls waiting in the house ran outside to them. Amber radiating a mixture of relief, sadness, and yet glee was visible along with the negative emotion she clearly felt.

Amber knelt down beside the creatures and examined their bodies closely. Lifting her head and facing her friends, she said "These are definitely velociraptors. If there are these many already, prehistoric creatures are surely coming back to life."

"That leaves us the question of who is doing it." Kid finished quietly. "I don't know of anyone who could do it... revive the long, long dead. Some sort of necromancer, perhaps, but it must be more than that."

"So you have no idea of the cause of this?" Kim sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're useless."

"You don't have a clue either." Kid snapped back. "Given what's happened, I strongly believe the reviving of these prehistoric beasts and the earthquakes are closely tied and likely done by the same person. From what has happened this month, I can't help but place my suspicions on the IHK."

"Who're they?" Blackstar asked.

"They are..." Kid trailed off. It still hurt to talk about what happened, so he made his explanation simple. "The IHK stand for institution of human kind. They're bad people. They're the ones that..." he still hadn't explained how the government, the people, had gotten a hold of that audio recording. That's trouble. "They're the ones who got the evidence that convicted father to prison. That condemned me as well."

"They're the ones who did it?" Maka was angry. Very, very angry. "Those people..." she growled. "They're gonna pay for what they did. I'm going to take them down."

"How's the government now, anyways?" Tsubaki asked. "What have you heard so far, Kid?"

"It's collapsing. Governments everywhere are collapsing. There lays little trust in such large, unreliable, hypocritical systems. Aside from what the people did to father and I, it seems they are turning on the ones who punished father as well." A slight grin crossed Kid's face. "If the IHK aren't directly part of the US government, at least the rest of those damned idiots are getting what they deserve. It worries me that some good leaders are being taken out as well. There is a social hysteria, form what I heard recently, that is driving people man. We're lucky to be all alone out here. I don't know what would happen if we were in a place like New York."

"Even now you've been paying close attention to the news." Liz smiled, hugging Kid with one arm and holding his in front of her, her other hand resting on her hip. "Come on. Let's give him a round of applause for dressing as a girl and being the responsible shinigami he is."

Blackstar laughed, so did a few of the others. Amber walked up to Kid, he looked back at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Everyone stopped laughing, and Kid gave a look of confusion. He felt Liz's arm leave him. "Why do you ask?"

"K-Kid, you're not looking too good. Also, you're bleeding." Maka stuttered, her eyes wide.

Again Kid was greatly confused. "Bleeding?"

Patty hopped up to him and rubbed her finger against his lips. Blood stained the finger and she showed it to him.

"Blood?" he squinted at the finger and suddenly he could taste the iron in his mouth. When did that happen? When did he cough up blood? Bringing his hand up to his mouth, he coughed, and sure enough left on his hand was blood. "I'm going inside." he breathed, leaving his friends and entering the cabin.

"When did he cough?" Blackstar asked.

"I don't know." Liz said. "Maybe when he was explaining the IHK, he happened to damage something and his talking made him cough blood?"

"Whatever it is," Soul commented, wanting to help Kid if that was even possible "It can't be good. How about this; Tomorrow I should treat him to a cool day while the rest of you all chill."

"What would you do together?" Maka asked.

"I spotted a little shack somewhere out in the woods that you and Liz may have missed. I didn't point it out, but Kid and I can sleep there tomorrow and I'll treat him to the coolness I provide and we can have a bro to bro chat and just hang out. Maybe I can take his mind off things."

"That's nice of you." Liz smiled. "You can be really nice, Soul."

"Every girl knows that." Maka giggled. "Soul's too cool."

"I know. Don't wear it out." Soul smirked. "I'm the coolest Death Scythe ever."

Inside the cabin, Kid went into the small bathroom and locked the door behind him. He stood in front of the shower and stared into the mirror in front of him. The bathroom was a pale yellow, and the sink was right in front of the toilet, the mirror above it. The shower was next to the toilet and by the door.

Running his hands and splashing his face with cold water, Kid looked back up at his reflection. His physical health was better on the outside if anything. He did feel a little ill, but that's probably because he coughed up blood without realizing it.

His eyes are bright and determined to accomplish any goal he sets himself, such as saving his father and restoring order to the world. His lips together in contempt as if he was pouting. His white skin soft and cold, and yet a warmth resonated off his naturally icy body. His fingernails chewed down from worry and done so symmetrically for the sake of his sanity. Any cuts or bruises he had obtained gone the next day or minutes after they appear. His hair brushed out symmetrically. Accept for those stripes of course...

It took all his willpower not to punch the mirror in front of him. He helped enforce this power by reminding himself that if he was to punch it, it would crack and web off asymmetrically like it had in the dreamland...

_Not there... It was there. Don't think of it. Don't remind yourself, idiot! _Kid stared at his reflection, turning the sink off once his hands were nice and clean. There was a tickle in his throat and he coughed, blood splattering against the mirror. His eyes wide with fear.

The blood was frightening in itself to be his own, but it was what he saw in the mirror that made his body trembled and freeze, mouth agape.

From the mirror, which he couldn't stop staring at, was a vulture perched behind him on a decaying arm belonging to no visible body.

Black feathers floated around his vision and he met the beady-eyed bird. The vulture squawked in his ear and he could have sworn he felt it's beak nip at his ear like he witnessed in the mirror.

Back and forth, all logic left his brain. In a daze of some sort, he ripped off a piece of toilet paper and wet it, cleaning the mirror of his blood and then flushing the bloody paper down the toilet. He folded the toilet paper into a triangle out of habit and once again looked in the mirror.

Finally, the bird and arm were gone.

But they hadn't left his mind. He crept into the living room where he had slept and crawled into the couch, snuggling up against the blanket and rocking himself back and forth on his side, staring blankly forward. Still, he trembled.

His friends came inside and saw his new condition. Liz lay by his side on the couch and hugged him. Patty managed to forge herself behind him and hug him from behind and he seemed to ignore their existence.

Everyone aside from the girls and Blackstar went outside shortly after.

"Why's he like that?" Blackstar asked, watching by the door leading out.

"Ever since he was taken by you-know-who he hasn't been the same." Liz would have tasted puke in her mouth if she was to dare speak Noah's name out loud. "Since then, he hasn't been right."

"I thought he was getting better." Patty whined, hugging Kid tighter. "Sometimes we can't even snap him out of fits like this."

"It'll take him a good sleep to get him back to his senses." Liz cooed her meister and once he actually fell asleep, she left his side. Patty on the other hand didn't want to let go.

"That Noah and Gopher are still alive, aren't they?" Blackstar asked. "That's last I heard, anyways."

"We never found out." Liz admitted. "But one day, I will get revenge. No one treats my meister like that."

"You care about Kid a lot, don't you?"

"Of course."

"I care about him too." Blackstar was about to exit the house when he turned back and quickly said "I would help you get revenge, but right now we have bigger issues to worry about."

That night everyone slept well, surprisingly enough.

Tomorrow would be a day of relaxation. Peace. Nothing could go wrong, right?

It had been around a month since everything started, so things must be calming down, right?

Liz lay awake in bed after everyone was asleep. Patty finally at her side. They had not talked much that meal. Like Kid, she was determined to get things back to normal and save Lord Death and every other person she was close to. Everyone of her friends shared that determination one way or another. That gave her some comfort. She hoped Soul's plan to have a cool day with Kid would help her meister get better and cool off for once.

You can't be certain one minute of the things you were never sure of a second before. If you rely on hopes and wishes and do nothing in your power to achieve them, you are doomed to never get what you want done and will have no true reward. Thinking that someone will die one minute and then out of hopes convincing yourself they will live is a foolish act and only seals up what you know is bound to come or is most likely out of any possible answer. Stop for a moment and think. Would you convince yourself everything will be all right even though the obvious answer is the opposite of this new found belief? One that follows hopes lives happily until the day they are forced to live the truth. One that follows logic can prevent an obvious answer or prepare themselves for what is to come. What would you choose?


	26. Chapter 26

Akiri and Maka were talking about Japanese life styles beneath the shade of a tree. Blackstar was with Tsubaki and Patty sitting by the cabin. They talked about things they could do to cheer up the serious mood everyone had been in since they left Death City. Kim and Jacqueline had their own private conversation. Amber and Liz were chatting about the boys. Liz couldn't wrap her head around Kid's mind and needed to rant about her frustration to someone who wouldn't mind listening. Soul was talking to Akiri's father about the shack he found off in the woods and learned that Mr. Izumi knew nothing about it and figured Kid and himself would be gong on a mini adventure if he could get the shinigami outside.

Keira was going to walk outside when she crossed the couch Kid was laying on. Kid was awake and no longer in the terrible state he had been in last night.

"How are you?" she asked in monotone.

"I'm fine." Kid answered, sitting up. "How about you?"

"I'm fine."

"That's good to hear..."

"... What's it like being Lord Death's child and yet being so weak?"

"Weak?"

"Last night. The night before. What is _wrong_ with you?"

"... Why would you ask?"

"I didn't believe Lord Death was guilty and I know he is not. Unlike the others, I've heard the recording."

"Recording?" _The audio_. Kid knew that was what she was talking about. The others hadn't listened, or they hadn't questioned if they did. "But why would you ask?"

"I want to know what we may be up against for something to have such an effect on a god."

"If you must know," Kid gulped. "What happens at night doesn't have to do with-"

"Not all of it, am I right? But some of what is haunting your mind must be new, I'm guessing. I mean not to offend you."

"I'm not offended. I'm just... I don't feel like telling you anything would be right." Unlike with his friends, he felt oddly calm talking to the monotone, emotionless Keira. There was something about her judging nature that unlike at first, made her seem, somehow, safe to speak to. He got the feeling that if he told her anything, she wouldn't bug him about it and would keep her thoughts to herself. But he hadn't told his friends about Arthur kidnapping him. He has not said a word. "I would rather tell my friends before someone I just met not that long ago."

"I will accept that." Keira smiled slightly, easing up. "Like Lord Death, I trust you will get over what you are facing and be a leader to the rest of us. You were born to rule after all."

He had not heard something so nice and soft from Keira. He smiled and said "Thank you." with a nod. The determination coming back to his face and he stood up looking at her. "I have not done the proper duty of a shinigami. I plan on being the best leader possible and creating a balanced world. At the moment that is impossible, but I will try with all my strength to save the people of the world and save father and everyone else important to me."

"I hope you succeed." Keira bowed to him and looked back up to him with a sparkle in her eye. "We are waiting patiently for our death god to rise. And we all shall welcome your power with lifted arms and true salutes."

Once she left the cabin, Kid felt an emptiness in the bottom of his heart. "I haven't done my duty." he spoke to himself, a smile creeping over his face. "But I will save everyone. I will save father. Balance will be restored to Earth. I will rule, and I will do so perfectly. For the sake of symmetry, and for the sake of everyone's soul."

Soul came into the room Kid stood in and was surprised to see Kid up and smiling.

"I thought getting you out of bed would be difficult." Soul commented. Kid turned back and faced him.

The young reaper laughed "What are you up to, Soul?"

"I'm going to help you get your mind off things."

"And how shall you, Soul Eater, do so?"

Soul snickered. "We're going to have a cool day. And we're going to sleep in a mysterious shack."

"Mysterious shack?" Kid cocked an eyebrow.

"I found a shack or shed or whatever it's called out in the woods while we were walking. It looked big enough for two people. We're going to sleep in it tonight after our day of cool activities."

"Activities?"

"Talking and other stuff. Fooling around."

"Sounds nice." Kid admitted, grabbing his girl costume off the table. "Why don't we take out things and head to the shack. We can set these down there first and have our _cool _day."

The boys took any supplies they needed, meaning Soul took nothing and Kid took his disguise. They placed it in the large wooden shed/shack/whatever-it-is, which was like a one-room cabin.

The room was made of a dark wood and a few long faded painting hung upon the walls. The paintings' canvases were faded gray and flowers were the images marked on them. There was no furniture. Dust and some leaves were on the old wooden floor. There were two windows, one on the right and left wall. The door opened, revealing the paintings and small, cracked windows on each side.

"You can barely see through the window." Kid said, looking through the glass. He couldn't see outside, and the window frame looked moldy. He set down the girl outfit and stepped out of the shed with Soul.

Soul shut the old, creaky door leading inside and the boys walked out into the forest.

"Where are we going?" Kid asked as they walked along.

"I don't know." Soul laughed "But wherever it is, we'll find something cool to make of it."

Later that afternoon, everyone had another day of rest. Until five that evening.

The kids had gone inside, including Soul and Kid, to eat dinner. Soul and Kid had found a huge, climbable tree and had their way with it, racing to the top. It took forever for Maka and Liz to find them and get them to the cabin.

As they ate dinner, Akiri and her father did that Japanese thing again and they were all enjoying themselves when there was a knock on the door. Who could it be?

Worried, Kid was sent into the bathroom where he could stay out of sight and listen to anything going on.

Akiri's father answered the door and the kids all went and hid in the two rooms before any of the tough sounding men spoke. They listened as well behind closed doors, their weapons at their sides.

"Anata wa nani o shitaidesu ka? What do you want?"

"Excuse us, sir. I am sure you have heard of Lord Death's arrest and are watching the news."

"I have no problems with Lord Death." Mr. Izumi stated firmly. "I am sorry to ask, but would you leave my home and let me be?"

"Sorry, but we are required to search your house by law."

"Why? When did that happen?"

"You see, us police always have hard times where we are required to search houses for things."

"I will not allow you to enter my house. You can not do so without my permission. I own this cabin and I will stand by my rights."

"Sir, I will ask you kindly to move out of the way." the police man informed, the police men behind him nodding in agreement. "If you do not, we are allowed to use force."

"No can do." Mr. Izumi, the old Japanese man reached from his door and grasped a shotgun, aiming it at the cops. "I have the right to defend my house and you are invading my property! I don't care what badges you wear! You can not take away my basic rights and freedoms!"

"Don't do it, dad." Akiri whispered nervously from behind the door. A sinking feeling in her soul and her face showed pure horror.

"Drop your weapon!" the police officer ordered.

He didn't have to even if asked. This was his home. He had the right to protect his property. "Drop yours and even then I won't do the same. I love my family, and although they are not here right now, this house is part of them and I. I will not let my family be destroyed. I will protect them till death!"

"We will ask one more time! We have permission to shoot!"

Akiri held back tears. The others around her hugged her close and she covered her ears, tightly shutting her eyes.

"Hush." Liz cooed quietly into Akiri's ear, the same horror written on her face. "I'm sorry."

Kid listened from the bathroom, ear pressed against the door and his hand gripping the knob tightly, anger building up in his system with the need to pass judgment and protect his friends and the innocent. He grit his teeth. If anything was to set him off, he would burst out the door. He couldn't afford that... But it hurt to hold back from instinct. Especially that death god instinct that is even more powerful and pressing than a mother's... Or perhaps it carries the same strength?

"We are not fooling around!" one cop barked.

"Neither am I!" Mr. Izumi pressed on, his finger against the trigger. "I'm sorry." he mumbled. "I love my son, my daughter, and my wife."

"Do you want us to shoot you?!"

"I will not back down."

There was a gunshot and a loud bump on the floor.

"Papa!" Akiri screamed, tears streaming down her face. Maka covered her mouth.

"Don't-" she started when they heard footsteps in the house.

"Who's here?! Where are you hiding?!" the officers yelled, clomping along the wooden floor.

That was when Kid could no longer restrain his instinct to protect. It was when he heard the bedroom doors being pounded by fists that he thrust open the bathroom door and stepped out into the officers view.

The three cops standing there were clearly astonished. Who knew Lord Death's son, the god they were looking for, would so willingly show himself? Their guns were pointed to him in a second and their faces were fierce.

Kid could hear whispers and cries from the bedroom. His friends were definitely planning on fighting, and he could trust that this idea was right. He saw Mr. Izumi shot dead. A hole in his forehead. He lay bleeding on the ground.

"Shinigami! Put your hands in the air!" one officer demanded.

"No." Kid denied them their authority. One of the cops came up behind him and put the gun against the back of his neck. Kid was unmoved. His gold and yellow eyes staring at the men in front of him. He simply lifted his hand up, and moved the gun barrel away.

The cop who had had the gun to his neck trembled. There was no need to be afraid, right? They're only fighting a kid, right? He's only a kid. A god of death. Who is afraid of death? All the men seemed nerved watching Kid move the barrel from his neck with little emotion and such calm movements that one could say he was a psychopath.

"Put down your weapons." Kid instructed in a very smooth, threatening tone.

The cops in front of him laughed. "What are you going to do about it?"

Kid grabbed the barrel of the gun he had moved away from him and pulled it out of the cop's hands. He swung the gun around and banged the cop in the face. Dropping the gun to the ground and pressing his shoe against the cop's face. He stomped the man's jaw, breaking the cop's teeth. Blood dripped out of the man's mouth and Kid was satisfied with this man's punishment. All he needed now was to kill him.

He knelt down and lifted the man's limp head by his hair. "Don't mess with the god of death." The man looked at him with sorry eyes.

"Don't kill me!" he whined.

Kid ignored his whines. "You were perfectly willing to murder an innocent man. You have committed an act of cruelty and wrongful judgment. And so, your death has been decided." Taking the gun on the ground, he positioned the gun properly in his arms ignoring the asymmetrical look. He aimed the barrel at the cop's forehead, and with a light press of the trigger, the man no longer begged for his life and was gone.

Standing up, Kid once again placed the gun against the ground and glared at the cops. "Do you wish to suffer before you die, or shall I kill you plain and simple?"

The cops backed up in fear. As they did so, the bedroom door burst open. Every weapon in weapon form and Keira, Amber, and the tearful Akiri holding their weapons.

"You bastards!" Akiri screamed.

One cop was going to shoot her when Blackstar attacked him with Tsubaki's blades. He yelled and managed the throw Blackstar back against the wall. Liz shot the man in the chest, but he happened to be wearing a bullet-proof vest. The soul shots had little effect and Liz pulled at her hair in frustration.

Maka refused to kill the man. Like back at the mansion, she hit hit with the back of the blade, and he was thrown into Kim's grasp, in which she immediately burnt him with Jacqueline. Keira took her machete to the cop's throat and in a swift motion she ended his life. His blood splattered on the cabin wall.

Amber and Akiri fought the remaining cop. Amber gave up after slicing one of his wrists and allowed Akiri to do the rest.

The seventeen year old Japanese girl lunged forward, plunging the machete into the cop and doing so repeatedly. She pulled in and out, even after he was dead._In and out_... _In and out_... _In and out._

Everyone had gone out of weapon form and watched with sorrowful looks.

"Stop it..." Maka tried to approach Akiri, but she couldn't prevent her from wearing herself out.

"Let it be, Maka." Soul grabbed the pigtailed blonde's shoulder. Maka looked back at him with teary eyes.

"We could have stopped it."

"I think that's something her father wouldn't have wanted."

Patty watched Akiri with worry aside from her usual cheer. Blackstar walked up and put his arm around her shoulders. "It's okay." he tried to cheer up the short haired blonde. "Why don't we let things be. We should all get some rest."

"Are you okay, Akiri?" Liz knew the answer, but couldn't help asking. When Akiri didn't answer, she wasn't surprised.

Kid walked up to the front door, peering out through the small window. He held a pale fabric bag in one hand.

No one out front. It was just these cops alone.

"Hey you!" Akiri screamed at Kid, who had his hand on the doorknob. She had ceased stabbing the man and dropped her machete. She was covered in the man's blood, her arm stained red. The other friends looked back and forth from Kid to Akiri, distressed. "They came for you! You should have given yourself up!"

Kid looked into Akiri's hazel eyes. He felt sympathy but was not remorseful. "I'm sorry you lost your father today. I'm sorry that life isn't fair." He didn't sound to kind either. You see, when you are something that people fear and find painful, death, it's difficult to feel that way about your own being and in return can come off uncaring and cold. "Death isn't fair, either. What happened today was out of anyone's control but your own father and the cops. He chose to stand his ground, which in return cost him his life. You should be proud of your father, knowing he died proving a point he obviously strongly believed in. Don't cry and feel like you could have prevented anything. Don't blame-"

"Shut up! You're death! You're a god! Don't you have any strength?! Any ability to prevent anything?! Dad could still be alive if you had just given yourself up!"

"What I believe is he would have died had I given myself up or not. He believed in Lord Death and I and would have likely died sooner if I had given myself up right when the cops came. He would have because he would protect me. He died protecting all of us, knowing that the time he gave us to prepare and listen was enough to give us a good chance at living."

Kid turned the doorknob and Liz spoke up and asked "Where are you going, Kid?"

"To the shelter Soul said we would sleep in tonight. I'll be back in the morning."

"You're not leaving us now!" Blackstar ran up to Kid and grabbed the shinigami's wrist. "No way are you going out there-"

Kid left Blackstar's grasp, opened the door, and slammed it shut behind him. His friends were left to deal with the angry, scarred Akiri. The nighttime sky was dark and they tried to comfort their friend.

"I'm going too." Soul said, exiting the cabin. "I won't leave Kid out there alone all night. See you tomorrow."

In the darkness of the woods, Soul shook from the sounds he was hearing. Once he entered the dark cabin, he saw that Kid was in his female wig and colored contacts, and was wearing the clothes and boots as well.

He had put the black outfit in the bag he carried out with him.

"What are you doing?" Soul asked, slightly irritated. He couldn't see Kid's exact expression in the dark, but he knew his friend was showing no emotion. "You don't just leave a depressed girl like that."

"Of course you would know, Soul, having had _so_ many girlfriends due to your _coolness_." Kid remarked without a single waver in his voice.

"Hey, don't fool with my cool." Soul shut the door behind him. Now only moonlight lit the room. "You left everyone hanging. Come on, Kid, you're acting real uncool right now."

"So what?" Kid asked back in a deep tone. That was awkward considering the disguise.

"Don't tell me you don't get how you upset Akiri and the others."

"Hm? Why don't you tell me?"

"Akiri's father just died and the way you acted and left was just... _uncool_. You should have seen the look on everyone's face. Liz was especially disappointed."

"It would be worse if I had stayed this _wonderful _night. Akiri would have wanted me out, you know?"

Kid had a point, but Soul was still troubled by Kid's reaction to the scene. "If anything bad happens tonight, think of what you left your friends with."

"Hm..."

"What?"

"I clearly did something wrong. But what am I to say? She blames me for something I doubt I could prevent. Do the others blame me too? Do you, Soul?"

"I don't... I've had enough of this. I'm going to sleep." Soul declared, giving up on getting through to Kid. He lay down on the door's right side and faced away from Kid. "Go to sleep. We'll see them in the morning, and by then I hope you know what you said..."

"Good night, Soul." Kid looked out the blurred window glass and frowned. He felt like he did something wrong, but yet he didn't know or could actually see anything wrong aside from a little coldness for the situation. Really, he couldn't finger out a specific reason any of them aside from Akiri would be mad at him.

_Was it something I said? Was it something I did? What good reasons do they have? Are they even angry at me? _Thoughts like this plague Kid's mind as he lays down by the left wall and hugs his bag of black clothing, facing away from Soul.

His dreams were haunted by vultures. He woke up twice. Finally the only things in his dream scaring him were gunshots and gore. That wasn't too bad. Not for him, anyway.

Little did any of them know, it be the two in the shed or the ten alive in the cabin, that today was the last day of 'normal'. The morning would lead them to a new dawn. A new day. And from the looks of things, a new world.

**(Finally! Now****I can start with the major plot!****_I was warming you up for what is to come!_****:3 Read, my children! Feast upon thy letters written on pages white! And Let us enter a new kind of madness!)**


	27. Chapter 27 Awakening

The cabin was in smithereens and everyone who slept in the cabin was laying on the ground. Blackstar blinked, opening his eyes and greeting a new world.

Instead of the regular trees that covered the forests around them, there were super tall trees that didn't look like anything you would see today. Creatures were everywhere, and Blackstar couldn't tell what they were. But he knew they definitely weren't from his time.

He stood up with Kim and Jacqueline, who were also awake and saw how his friends hadn't woken up.

The land around them had changed greatly, as well. A large section of the hilly mountains they were on was gone and a gigantic, long gaping hole spread miles and miles leading off into nowhere he could see. What they could tell once they walked up to the edge of the steep drop-off was that mist was rising up from whatever was at the bottom, and they could hear the roar of rapids at the bottom.

Prehistoric winged beasts scattered the cloudless sky. The sun was hot. Very, very hot. The temperature had risen a great deal and it seemed as if the air was filled with more oxygen.

Blackstar peered down the bottom. _Where was shack positioned in the woods? Is Soul and Kid all right?_

"Jacqueline, what can we do?" Kim asked, frowning down at the cliff's edge.

"I don't know, Kim." Jacqueline turned into a 'broom' (whatever she turns into when Kim rides her) and Kim hopped on.

"Where are you going?" Blackstar asked as she flew up into the air.

"We're heading down south." Kim stated firmly. "We're going back to Death City and seeing from a distance how things are. If the city is still there, that is."

"You think it's gone?"

"I have a feeling it is."

"Well... By." Blackstar motioned the witch to leave and Kim flew down south as she had said without a word. Kim planned to follow her word and check up on the city. She truly believed it no longer stood. When was the last time they heard the news, anyways?

Blackstar turned around and saw Akiri was up.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed. "What happened?!"

"The others are still asleep... That's weird." Blackstar mumbled to himself and then to Akiri asked "How am I supposed to know?"

"Dad's body is gone..."

"Yup. Looks like it."

"Dinosaurs in the sky..."

"Yeah. They do have wings, after all."

"My head hurts." Akiri pressed one of her palms against her forehead. "What can we do?"

"Again, I really don't know." Blackstar replied. "We should wait for the others to wake up, and then we can figure things out."

The broken up wooden room they were in was a dark brown color, no furniture, but some paintings were hung up of flowers in which the white canvas had faded to gray. The floor boards cracked and splintered upwards, spearing forward. The cabin shook as if it were dancing. Soul and Kid woke up immediately when they heard the roar of water and felt as if they were on an awful boat ride.

Kid picked up the bag he had of black clothes and managed to stand up in their unstable ride. He couldn't see out the window, but he had a feeling one way or another they were in some sort of rushing water.

Soul stood up, leaning against the wall he slept by and called out over the roar "Kid! What happened?!"

"I don't know!" Kid answered in Robin's voice. If he had called out in his regular voice, he would surly be coughing up blood. "We've got to get out of here!"

Despite the situation, Soul grinned and laughed "Anything you say, Robin!"

"Listen to me and don't ask any questions!" Robin continued, pressing her hands against the murky glass. "You can't cross over to me with that giant gaping hole between us, so we're going to have to climb up on the roof!"

"What! You've got to be kidding me!"

Robin pushed the window out, frame and all, and was immediately greeted with splashes of water. They were indeed in a roaring river rapid-like place that was long and wide. It looked like they were at the bottom of a cliff, seeing the dirt walls guiding the water straight.

Poking her head out and looking in the direction the water was headed, Robin saw why the water was going so fast.

A waterfall. There was a dead drop and past the waterfall was green forests and land and cliffs and hills from what he/she could tell.

"Hurry, Soul!" Robin/Kid gripped the edges of the opening and pulled herself up and out so she stood on the opening. Carefully, she grabbed the edges of the roof and called "Push out the window, Soul! I don't want you to die! There's a waterfall and we're headed straight for it!" Robin easily climbed up onto the roof.

Shakily, Soul did as instructed. The minute he saw the drop off, he used his manly strength to get up on the roof in a matter of seconds.

"What are we going to do now?!" Soul cried out. "Robin, you have a plan don't you?!"

"Of course I do!" she answered. Standing up, she took out Beelzebub and stood on the skateboard, which she flew so she was just a foot above the shack at all times. "Get on, Soul!"

"But-"

"Do it or you'll die!"

Soul hopped onto the skateboard and wrapped his arms around Robin/Kid's waist. His body trembled in fear.

Surprisingly calm, Robin left the shack on Beelzebub. Soul and her flew past the waterfall.

Robin was right. The drop was so high they surly would have died if they stayed. At the bottom of the waterfall was a large pool of water and beautiful prehistoric plants and dinosaurs that weren't so beautiful as they were cool.

Kid/Robin made sure to stay away from the flying birds which she could recognize as Pterodactyl.

He flew onto one of the high, tree filled forests when he lost his energy and landed quite roughly. They were close to the edge and would have to climb up a bit. They landed on what looked like a walkway, a trail, but they knew it wasn't.

"Where are the others?" Soul sat up, rubbing his bum from the bad landing.

Kid didn't answer. He/she pushed herself up on her arms, having landed back-up. She turned to soul and putting her hand over her mouth, coughed. Looking back at her hand, there was blood. She tasted it in her mouth and felt dizzy. "Soul..." she whispered. "I don't feel too good."

"Kid? Robin? What's wrong?" Soul crawled on his hands and knees to Robin. His right ankle hurt. Looking at Robin's hand and seeing the blood, he understood. He placed one hand on Robin's shoulder and looked into her/his eyes with furrowed brows. "You need to rest?"

"No." She answered, swallowing hard and standing up. When Soul didn't stand up, she smoothed out her red bangs and looked down at him with a sigh. Her bag of clothes was at her side, strapped around her shoulder. They didn't lose anything in the shed. That's good. "Do you need to rest?"

"My ankle just hurts a little." Soul said, managing to stand up with a slight limp. "Let's go look around."

"Right." Robin giggled, green eyes wide and searching the forest.

They walked along, hoping to find something. The forest grew thick, and it was hard to get around. They hadn't run into much trouble yet, so for the time being, they were fine.

Blackstar and Akiri had ran, leaving the others behind. They were simply exploring at first while the others slept, but then they found themselves in some serious trouble. Even though Blackstar had his power, and Akiri had her machete, they ran the opposite way of their friends as a dinosaur, a fierce looking one, chased after them.

They fell down a mud-covered slope where odd plants sprouted randomly with some trees. Once they hit the bottom, they were covered in the dark mud. They landed in a long shallow stream that had smooth rocks layered beneath it. The sun was hidden from them as they looked up and trees blocked out the sky. Another dark wall of mud was blocking them. All they could do was follow the shadowy stream and listen to new sounds and feel the humidity build up on their skin in water droplets.

Maka, Tsubaki, and Keira woke up. The others asleep. They looked in aw at their surroundings.

"How can this be?" Tsubaki asked, confused like everyone else. "I didn't feel any of this happen over night."

"Neither did I." Maka admitted. "But it's not like we could have done anything if we did."

"Some of the others are gone." Keira pointed out.

"They probably went to explore." Maka shrugged it off. "I'm worried about Soul and Kid. They weren't with us last night."

"That's true." Tsubaki gasped when she noticed all the dinosaurs above and below. "Why don't we go look for them?"

"What about the others?" Keira asked. "They're still asleep."

"That's okay." Maka smiled. "We won't go far."

That's what Blackstar and Keira thought before they were chased. And the three girls fell for a similar trap.

They were chased by a different creature, and in a different direction. Keira had her machete drawn and ripped up a few plants in her way.

Maka, Tsubaki, and Keira slipped down a hill like Blackstar and Akiri, only they did it on purpose to escape what was chasing them.

The hill they slipped down wasn't as muddy as it was even steeper and no plants were on it. It was just dry dirt. In front of them was forest. Carefully they stood up, recovering from the fall and landing in dark soil.

Weird things they couldn't recognize surrounded them, and they wandered aimlessly forward. Looking for anyone. Anything that wouldn't kill them.

The last three at the dead cabin were Liz, Patty, and Amber. They woke up and like everyone else had been; shocked by the new surroundings.

"It's like the world was flipped." Amber commented.

"Wow! Look!" Patty pointed to the flying creatures.

Amber, instead of excitement, was serious when she saw the prehistoric beings. "Be quiet." she instructed.

The girls did as told. But Liz was on the verge of crying. _What happened to the others? What happened to Kid? _

They walked off into the forest, following Amber. The girls weren't chased by anything, but after a while of wandering, got lost on their own.

As night fell, everyone had the most uncomfortable, sleepless night possible.

"Kid, I want to go to a city." Soul said as they walked along a blackened path.

Kid was listening intently to every sound and movement his special eyes could pick up beneath the colored contacts. "Soul, shut up."

"What the-"

"Just be quiet. I'm listening very hard right now and trying to make sure we aren't attacked. Will you just... not speak?" he said in his girl voice, which he had been talking in all day.

"Fine." Soul mumbled. Something inside him wanted to see the city, if it was there. Any city would do. But clearly Kid wouldn't listen to him right now. Not when their lives are in danger.

Everything about the world was different from what they could tell. Was anyone else alive? Probably.

They speculated the government was done for, and little did they know at the time they were right. What they didn't know, was what took its place.

That night, they heard something very odd.

Sirens. From where?

Everyone of them, despite being in different places, looked up. They listened for a while and then got a very loud message from wherever the voice was being broadcast from.

The voice was clear, and the star filled sky added effect with a close looking moon.

The voice said **"Everyone everywhere, as you can tell the world anew and we are sure you are scared."**

Something wasn't right about this message. Kid could tell. It wasn't being sent through the sky.

"**With new and long developed technology, there is a ****new ruling as well. Although we have been waiting for this moment for a long, long time."**

Kid shuttered. The voice was familiar. Creepily familiar.

"**After we shut down any existing power, including Lord Death. We are planning his execution any day now. Some time within this month. We have risen from power under the rule of one very powerful leader."**

"Father..." Kid breathed out. He wanted to scream.

"**We will be in charge for now on. Everyone is expected to follow our rules and demands. If not, we will kill you."**

"This can't be good." Maka said. Everyone, even humans, were hearing this announcement. It sounded like it was in their heads and not outside.

"**We wish for more power, and our lovely dinosaurs are very happy to be alive once again."**

"So they were raised from the dead." Blackstar growled. "Those bastards."

"**We are a foundation of life and death. You could say we are the new death gods."**

"Kid, are you alright?" Soul asked, seeing Kid's distraught look.

"**We can't be named death gods or the rulers of the earth until both death gods or gone, of course. Or at least in our hands."**

"Kid." Liz cried, allowing tears to flow down her face. "I want Kid. I want Kid!"

"**Once we get our hands on Lord Death's son, we will be in full power. Until then, people will be executed and placed as slaves if they try anything to defy us. We are speaking to you through your minds, using some of our ****_new_**** technology. What is the point of balance in this world? This is our first and last broadcast. The rest is up to you, so listen closely."**

"Who are these people?" Kid asked himself. "The man talking sounds familiar."

"**Tomorrow, the world will be closer to madness. The ones who live are the ones who we shall rule over. Children, men, woman. ****Last but not least, human kind is ours. We are an institution. We have Lord Death, we are waiting for the son. And so goodnight."**

Kid was the only one who heard what happened next. Everyone else no longer heard the broadcast, but Kid heard it loud and clear in his brain.

"_**Death the Kid, we are waiting for you. Your father, people close to you. And we will take you the minute we see you. You remember me. And I'll gladly place you back in your sleep. That beautiful dreamland you love so much. I'll help make that dream a reality. Our leader would like it if I did that. Be prepared. We are watching."**_

Kid trembled with fear. Fear he couldn't express.

He removed his girl outfit and put on the black clothes, his eyes and hair exposed and he could have looked perfectly normal. He put the disguise in the bag and carried it along. He hadn't realized he had carried the bag asymmetrically. He had long since put Beelzebub back wherever it may go.

Soul sat down, leaning against a tree. "Kid, what's wrong?" he asked.

Kid's skin crawled and he nearly jumped back when he thought he saw a vulture watching him nearby. He looked at his hands. Even his fingers twitched, wanting to rip something apart. His eyes were watery, but he wasn't crying. He was remembering the world he had been in. His mouth closed tightly, afraid to speak.

He ripped at his left arm like he had the one day, tearing the kin. He kept scratching it. In his mind he said _'go away'_ _and 'stop'_. But he didn't. He kept scratching and tearing and bleeding.

"Kid!" Soul grabbed the shinigami's wrist, and Kid was forced to stop. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"..." No answer. Kid didn't even look at Soul. He stared down at nothing. His insides were burning and slowly, he pulled away from Soul, dropped his bag, and lay down curled up on the ground, his bloody hands gripping the sides of his head. Tears flowing down his face.

"Kid?" Soul decided to ignore the shinigami, unsure of what to do. He just lay down by Kid, taking his bag of clothes and facing away from him.

Kid didn't sleep, nor did Soul.

Kid felt pain in his head and in his abdomen. Why was he feeling that? What exactly was he feeling? Fear for his father plagued him, as did thoughts and images that popped up whenever he blinked.

He knew who had taken the place as rulers. What he didn't know was what they were planning to do with that power.

He is shinigami, he should be able to fight back. But how?! How can he?!

No. How can he not?

It hurt to let the IHK and whoever they were following take over the world. And he needed to stop them. Somehow he would. Somehow. Some way.

Little did he know, there were others with the same ideas in mind. They were looking for him, too. Only their reasons were for good.

He and his friends may be separated. But chances are they would meet. By now, anything is possible. Anything goes.

If you have the weapons, and you have the will, would you allow fear to hold you back from your conscience? Your instinct? Moral sense? Like a mother, one urges to protect their child. Like a good leader, one urges to protect their people. Like a god, one urges to protect the world they rule. So what's holding you back? Fear? Sense? That _is_ smart, but if you have the weapons and your head on straight, why not fight that as well?


	28. Chapter 28

"It's gone."

"Yes it is, Kim."

"What do you think happened, Jacqueline?"

"The earthquake. Earth doing weird stuff. You know what I think it is."

"Yeah. What was up with that announcement last night?"

"All I know is that they have Lord Death and I'm sure they are the cause of the earthquakes."

"How would they do it?"

"I don't know, Kim. Why don't we try finding Ox and the others? You know... Crona."

"Right." Kin nodded. The city must have sunk into the now hilly desert, because there was no sign of it in sight.

Maka lay down to rest, her body aching from a night being awake and her eyes weighed down like bags of sand.

Keira held her machete close to her chest, being a lookout in the beautiful forest they stood in as Tsubaki and Maka rested. She didn't need as much sleep, for many thoughts would keep her up as the morning sun rose above them and beat down.

Blackstar was wide awake. Akiri was very tired, but didn't want to sleep.

As the two walked along the forest, Blackstar got curious about some stuff.

"How are you doing with your dad?" he asked.

"Dad's dead."

"I know. How are you feeling about it?"

"I guess... I'm fine. Things could I been worse. We could have died as well."

"You're really okay? What was up with-"

"Shut up." Akiri snapped, barely glancing back at Blackstar. She had tied her hair up in a ponytail using a long blade of grass, and it was holding up surprisingly well. They were still super muddy, but most of it was dry. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine." Blackstar said, respecting her wishes. She did lose her dad, after all. That couldn't be too fun.

Patty, Liz, and Amber were all wide awake.

While Patty and Amber jumped around, Amber taking things slightly serious, Liz watched them closely and felt an emptiness in her heart she could not express.

_Kid... _Liz thought sadly _If only you had not slept in the shack Soul found, we may be together now. _

"What's wrong, sissy?" Patty asked.

The girls were now on a long dirty path surrounded by trees. They walked along calmly, not much going on. "I'm worried about the others." she answered.

"Yeah." Amber nodded. "What about Kid? You worried about him especially?"

"You could say that-"

"Does he like you too?" Amber asked dreamily as they walked along.

"What? How did you know I like him?" Liz asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"A girl can tell." she giggled playfully. "I see the way you look at him. I think he likes you as well. You can see it in his eyes."

"His eyes? All I see is coldness these days."

"You know he likes you." Amber pressed on. "I used to like a guy like that, but nothing ever happened between us. I'm afraid it's too late for us. I'm sure for you and Kid, you still have a chance."

"That's if we ever see each other again."

"Be optim-is-stic!" Patty cackled from behind them. "Kiddo will come back! He always does!"

"I'm not sure." Liz mumbled to herself, ignoring the others. "We had to rescue him from that book. He couldn't come back on his own no matter how hard he tried."

Soul and Kid walked aimlessly, their feet soar. Robin yawned, having not slept that night.

"Robin... Kid... how are you feeling?" Soul asked.

"Ugh~"

"Uh... Robin?"

"What?~"

"I'm hungry."

"What do you want me to do about it?" she asked in a wining tone.

"Cook something."

"Do it yourself."

"Kid, if you're playing a woman, can't you at least-"

"If this is some sexist comment, I'm not in the mood to hear it."

"Oh..." Soul rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Something about when Kid dressed and spoke as _Robin_ made him uncomfortable on many levels. "Never mind."

"Soul, aside from finding our friends, we should look for any surviving humans." Robin said, turning back to face Soul. "It's best that we don't travel alone, you know? Even if we have each other, we still may run into trouble if it's just us."

"I think everyone is thinking the same thing." Soul smiled.

"And... also..."

"Huh?"

"If we see more surviving humans or modern animals, I'll feel a bit reassured."

"I see what you're getting at." Soul nodded. "By the way... How are you feeling about your father being in the enemies hands?"

"I don't like the idea, but it gives me even more reason to defeat the IHK."

"So that's who is behind it?"

"Yeah... The voice broadcasting last night was of Arthur, who is the head CPO in the IHK. He is the one that got evidence to press against father and I. He is the one who..."

"Who what?"

"N-never mind."

Too soon to speak of it? No. He could have explained what happened. The kidnapping, at least. But even now it felt too strong and could effect his negatively if he brought it up in the frightening situation.

Blackstar and Akiri didn't talk to each other much, but after they found themselves in wide open land, they were slightly relieved. They stood amongst vast land masses which were high above sea level. There were trees and such, but mostly grass. And lots of it, too. The clear blue sky was bright and they took in deep breaths.

"So, Blackstar, what now?" Akiri asked. "I'm hungry. Do you think a dinosaur is safe to eat?"

"I don't see why not." Blackstar shrugged. "I'll find something for us to eat and kill it. You can make up a fire or something where little grass covers and we'll cook it up."

"Alright." Akiri nodded.

She felt terrible. She wasn't thinking much of her father's death as the sun set and another dark, hot night set in.

How could she? She was dirty, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Perhaps rain would be better than sun.

After Blackstar and her ate, they lay down under the night sky. Akiri's thought's full of sweet dreams. It's better to dream happily than have nightmares. Was hope really a bad thing in the current situation?

Blackstar was serious even in his sleep. He had found a night watch unimportant and that if he was to hear her scream, he could easily wake up in time to save Akiri. His thoughts were filled with the idea of his friends. Especially Patty and Kid. Kid, being the son of Lord Death and his best friend. Patty, being the girl he could have sworn he loved. Was it love? Or was it a simple crush? Whatever it was, he had feelings for her and dreamed of the day they would meet again. He hoped that day would come soon. He wanted to make this hope a reality.

Maka dreamed about Soul, believe it or not. She was desperate to find him, but her aching body would not allow it.

Keira slept calmly, but was very alert. She woke up a few times from simple noises.

Tsubaki was about to fall asleep when another earthquake struck.

She went to check it out, all alone.

The darkness clouded her vision as she stumbled along the forest, using trees to help balance as low quakes shook the ground.

She was lost. Alone. But Tsubaki is brave, despite what was going on. If there was danger, her kind heart would will her to lead it away from her friends.

She was far from the others from what she could tell. Far, far away. She hid behind some bushes when she heard the sound of footsteps.

"Anyone there?" A man asked.

Tsubaki peeked through the prehistoric shrub and saw men in white and light blue. They looked otherworldly.

They wore white armor on their arms and legs, and metal boots. Their chest and back plate was white with a light blue diamond shaped crest was in the middle. They wore white helmets that covered their entire head and had beaks like those masks doctors wore during the Bubonic plague. In the center of the forehead on the masks was a light blue diamond crest and on the eyes were see-through black material.

The soldiers were frightening to behold. In their white armored hands held each soldier a white metal rod with some sort of blue switch by the thumb. At the tip of the pointy, two-foot rod, the white was painted blue like the switch.

_What do those do? _Tsubaki wondered to herself.

One of the men pointed to the bush she was hiding behind and Tsubaki whitened with fear.

They saw her. Somehow, they saw her.

She tried to run away, but the men had their arms around her in a minute.

She struggled to break free, but she wouldn't put the others in danger by screaming.

"A girl! You know what they do to pretty girls." one of the men spoke through his mask, pointing the rod up to the center of Tsubaki's chest. She trembled with fear of what they would do to her.

"Yes." Another man cooed, tugging on her hair. "Another one to go. Another slave of ours." He leaned up and whispered into her ear "I sense a weapon soul. You don't happen to go to DWMA, do you?"

"If I did, I wouldn't tell." was Tsubaki's answer as she gave up struggling... or so the men thought.

"Enough monologue." another man snapped. "Shock her, already! And high voltage too. You don't want her awake on this trip."

Tsubaki kicked back, hitting the man directly behind her in the crotch. Sadly, he barely flinched.

_That damned armor! _Tsubaki wailed on the inside. _It'll be the death of me!_

"Now." the man behind her commanded.

The pointy tip of the rod was pressed against the center of her chest once more.

Her body jerked with electricity.

The last thing she felt was behind lifted over a man's shoulder and carried away. After that, everything went black.

Liz dreamed about Kid while Patty dreamed of doughnuts. Amber dreamed of finding the others, like Liz.

Soul managed to fall asleep. He dreamed about Maka. He missed her and wanted her back.

Kid slept for half the night, but was awaken from a nightmare.

_He was tied up by his wrists, hanging from the top of a cave. Below him was nothing. An endless pit. And the rocked that held him up were wet._

_He wore a black robe, and no one was around him._

_Then he heard a voice. _

"_You like flying, don't you, Kiddo?" Noah asked. He wasn't sure where the voice was coming from, but he heard it._

_Weakly, Kid nodded 'yes'. _

_The rocks the rope around his wrists was attached to suddenly broke and he found himself plummeting._

_Down. Down. Down he went._

_He landed in a river of blood, and his skull burst._

He woke up, clinging to his red wig.

This wasn't _that_ bad of a nightmare, but it still effected him. He looked up at the moon through the dark green trees.

"I went to sleep, and woke up." he whispered to himself sorrowfully "It was that man... He's still out there, isn't he? We didn't successfully kill him, did we?"

That idea haunted him every day, but he ignored it. He stayed awake the rest of the night, worrying about his friends.

When would they meet again?

Deep in the shadows of the night, one can hear the sound of crying wind. They look around to see if anything is there, and find nothing. The wind wakes them once more, and they don't find anything. Once again. And again. And again. Is one to wake up whenever they hear a sound? How would they react if they knew those cries to be the simple wind? What if the wind never blew? Who belongs those sorrowful wails?


	29. Chapter 29 Where has our Tsubaki gone?

"Maka, where's Tsubaki?" Keira asked when she woke up.

Maka's eyes opened to mere slits and she looked around. Seeing her friend not around, she sat up quickly and opened her eyes completely. "I don't know." There was a hint of worry in her voice. "Maybe she went to the bathroom."

"Maybe..." Keira sighed. "If we lost her, what do we do?"

"What do you mean by 'if we lost her'?"

"You_ know_ what I mean."

"Damn!" Maka shot up onto her feet, starting to panic for her dear friend. "We've got to find her! Come on!"

Blackstar and Akiri walked along. What else was there to do? Were they really to simply walk around all day, or was there something else they could do to help? They had no clue, but they were up and on their feet the minute the sun rose.

"It's nice that the sun is still shining." Akiri sighed. "Watashi no kami, watashitachi wa nani o shite iru?"

"I'm Japanese." Blackstar grinned. "Wareware wa nani mo shite imasen."

"That's great, Blackstar." Akiri rolled her eyes. "Of course we're doing nothing. We've had the same goal since we were separated from the others. Why don't we fetch some water and attempt to cleanse it with some Honō ya netsu?"

"Let's do that." Blackstar laughed. "Nothing too hard for the mighty Blackstar! I'll find us a water source in no time!"

Akiri was forced to chase after Blackstar through the land. Even after a few hours, they still had not found a water source.

Liz and Patty picked berries they could recognize and were not prehistoric. It was the only food source they had. Amber had suggested hunting, but none of them wanted to kill one of the dinosaurs or cook it.

Amber watched the area around them as a lookout to warn them in case of a creature or anything that would be a threat.

Liz spoke up, remembering something Amber had mentioned the other day.

"This may be random, but who was this love interest of yours back in the day?"

"Oh, that! That's long ago." Amber shrugged. I was young and we were friends. I liked him... loved him very much... and one day..." she gulped "I never saw him again."

"Eh?" Liz was caught off guard by the ominous tone entering Amber's voice. "What do you mean you never saw him again?"

"We had talked just the day before he disappeared. We had talked the day before that and before that and so on and on." Amber's breath was shaky. "I was at my studies as usual researching prehistoric beings and such. He had been slightly paranoid for the past week. He said he felt like someone was watching him. He said he was sick. He had never acted like that before, and it scared me." Glancing over her shoulder, she gave a sad smile. "The last day we talked, we were up in my bedroom on my bed and he mentioned something... He said _'I never thought that they would plan it. I never thought they would find me.' _I asked him what he was talking about, and he asked _'haven't you payed any attention? Or am I the only one who they're bugging for information?' _I asked him who was bothering him."

"Who was it?" Liz asked, her mouth drying up after Amber's long pause.

"I had told him what I knew before." Amber inhaled sharply "And I now realize... Just now... how troubling his answer is."

"The announcement mentioned the ones who took over being an institution, and they said human kind. Kid mentioned something... A meeting with people called the IHK."

"That's what bothers me." Amber finished. "His answer was the _IHK_. They had pestered him for information about prehistoric life. Information he got from me. And then they took him. He vanished. For all I know, he's dead! For all I know, he's just an early slave of these monsters!"

"Calm down." Liz walked up and placed one hand on her shoulder. She could feel the younger girl tremble beneath her palm. "_I wonder_... I wonder if he's still alive. What if we find him?"

"That would be the day." Amber scoffed bitterly, avoiding eye contact. "Yes. That would be the most cherished day of my life. When I see his rotted eyes! Cold and red! He's been gone for a year... Maybe more. Time seems to slow when you lose someone you love."

"If we can find Kid, we might be able to find the one you love." Liz gave Amber a reassuring smile, forcing the black haired girl to look at her. "It's not the end."

"How would you know?" A slight smile came across Amber's face and she brightened up. "That's right! We don't know. There is a chance... I didn't ask much of his answer. I wish I had. What would they need him for aside for information? They clearly were planning a long time for what had happened. Maybe he was just an extra source of light on their plan. Maybe since they were bugging him through his head they needed to kill him. But the bright side is he may be out there. That's nice to think of..."

"Come on. Let's get back to work." Liz patted Amber on the head and headed back to Patty. She turned her head back around to see a much happier look on Amber's face. "By the way," she hoped what she was about to ask wouldn't upset Amber. "What's his name?"

"Conner." Amber answered without hesitation. "Conner A. Benjamin. Funny name, is is not?"

Patty cackled "That's super stupid!"

"Not stupid." Liz snapped. "But yes, the name is funny."

Soul woke up, and noticed Kid was laying on his back with his eyes open.

"What's up, Kid? Robin?"

"..."

"What? Why aren't you talking?"

An interesting smile crept over Robin/Kid's face as he/she stared at Soul with half lidded eyes. "I'm hungry." he said in Robin's voice.

"What do you want _me _to do about it?" Soul laughed "You're the _girl_, after all."

"Robin doesn't stand for sexism." Robin giggled, something evil about her unmoving position. "Come down here and I'll give you a taste of her justice."

Soul stifled a laughing cough and put a hand over his own mouth. "What's that about?"

"It's annoying." she replied. "Why is it that you're like that, Soul-bear?"

"_Soul-bear_?" Soul couldn't hold back his laughter. "Get off your ass and do something, Kid."

"Robin."

"_Robin_."

"I don't feel like it."

"What!" A disgusted look was what came over Soul when Kid/Robin uttered those words. "What do you mean _'I don't feel like it'_?!"

"I barely slept last night." she continued. "I had a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep. Instead I worried about my friends. Not that I want the same things to happen to you, but you're lazy. Sleep or not."

"Well, I-"

"Look at these eyes." Kid's eyes were indeed reddened, but Soul didn't see the big deal. All he payed attention to were the big green contacts. "I have to pretend to be this character I've made up in order to stay safe. If you had to, maybe I would show some pity and laugh at your jokes."

"Get over it." Soul's word weren't very friendly, but he managed to force Robin up and push her along like he would have to do to get Maka outside every once in a while back before Asura was defeated.

As another cold night settled in, Maka and Keira gave up looking for Liz.

"She's gone." Maka cried in defeat. "Where could she be?"

"I think she was taken." Keira nodded to her own agreement. "She was either kidnapped, eaten, or had gotten lost without any hope of return. I say the most likely scenario is she was kidnapped."

"I guess..." Maka didn't need Keira to explain her reasoning, for she understood it too well. "I hope she's okay. I really do."

Blackstar and Akiri looked up at the sky. They had found water and cleansed it in flames, drinking it all in a matter of minutes. Their bodies were still dirty, and they awaited rains to clean them of the dirt coating their bodies.

"I'm going to sleep." Akiri did as she said, and was gone in a snap.

Blackstar looked over at her. The blue haired ninja felt like he was growing up in this environment, and it wasn't in strength.

What was this about Akiri he felt? She would snap at him when annoyed, and try to lead him like Maka. But there was a Tsubaki like quality to her as well. She was kind, and still listened to him. And what happened to her father only effected her so much. She never wanted to mention it, but she clearly hadn't forgotten it.

"Wherever the others may be," Blackstar declared to the stars "I will find you. I will save you. I am the mighty Blackstar, that's what I do."

There was another earthquake that night. A big one.

Soul and Kid looked at the path they had found. Even in the darkness, they managed to find a little light in the forest. The trail appeared to be man made, somehow.

"Maybe this will lead us somewhere important." Soul suggested. "Let's follow it."

"I wanna sleep a little." Robin moaned "Can't we try to rest?"

"No can do." Soul denied Robin of any rest. "You're walking with me. And we'll find the others."

It was a good choice to follow that path even in the dark night, because they just so happened to get out of the forest and into a more opened, grassy land. They had climbed down a steep mountain that the trail somehow lead through, proving the idea that it was man-made to be false.

On this lower level land, they walked through grass beneath the moonlit sky. And they saw flattened grass a bit in the distance.

They walked over to the flattened grass, and saw two sleeping people.

Blackstar and Akiri.

"Well..." Soul was filled with delight as he lay next to Blackstar, making sure not to wake the two. "I guess we can sleep tonight after all."

"Hm..." Kid/Robin thought for a moment about what this meant, her bag of normal clothes held in her hands. "This is nice." she whispered, laying next to Akiri. "I just hope they can recognize me in the morning so I don't get hit in the head or something."

They all slept that night. Even Tsubaki.

Her eyes opened, tired and blurry.

Her hands were bound together and she could barley see the room she was in it was so dark.

She lay, ankles tied on a cold metal floor. She heard the faint sound of a cell door opening and closing.

And once again, all went black.

The moon can guide one to the sun. The sun can guide one to the moon. A path guides you to an end. Air bubbled lead you up when you are under water. Gravity guides your body back to the surface. But others cannot guide you to your final destination. You are your own guide, and you look for the tracks to follow. That, or you create your own path.


	30. Chapter 30 River blues

In the morning, Blackstar woke up to a pleasant surprise.

"Soul! Kid!" he exclaimed excitedly, the three waking up. "I knew I would save you!"

"Save me!" Soul laughed. "That's right! You saved us."

Blackstar had the biggest smile on his face. That was also a pleasant sight when he turned to Kid. "Hey, _Robin_. How's it going?"

Kid rolled his eyes and Robin giggled "Blackstar, I've been well. How about you?"

"We're alive." Akiri answered for the blue haired ninja. "That's all that matters. Watashi wa totemo shinpaidatta!"

"Why don't you just speak in English so we understand you?" Soul asked with a sigh as the four stood up.

"Watashi wa sutekina kaiwa o motsu koto ga dekiru node, naze anata wa nihongo ga hanasenai nodesu ka? Never mind that. Where do you think the others are?"

"I don't have a clue." Soul shrugged. "I honestly haven't seen any of them after the world changed."

"Same here." Robin nodded in agreement, folding her arms over her chest. "I was with Soul the entire time."

"Well isn't that useful." Akiri looked up to the sky. Dark clouds grimly hovered the sky above. "Why don't we get some food? You can't think straight on an empty stomach."

Maka and Keira wearily crossed a small river pass in the darkened woods as the clouds covered the sun. Once they got across, they felt great relief. They were worried that some prehistoric fish would slip up their legs or take them downstream and drown them in the river.

"You hear that?" Keira asked, stopping as they wound themselves around trees.

"Yeah." Maka replied. And taking in a sudden breath, said "Allow me to show you one of my abilities being a meister."

Maka closed her eyes and tried to sense the presence of a soul. It wasn't familiar, but it didn't seem threatening, either.

Just then another giant earthquake struck. A huge one. The earth around her crumbled, and they were falling.

Where gravity was taking her, she did not know.

After what happened had happened, Liz, Patty, and Amber clung tightly together, along with Amber gripping her two swords, found themselves getting washed down a deep river.

After some time, the river grew shallow, and their trembling selves came to a stop.

Observing the damage, Liz could tell the ginormous land mass they were on had fallen and that's how they ended up there on the rocky river floor.

They would have quite some walking and climbing before they would enter dry land.

Liz heard something that sounded like a muffled scream past a giant slice of broken off land.

Standing up, Patty, Amber, and her went over to the huge chunk.

"Hello?!" Liz called out. The scream had her motherly senses kick in and she gripped at the dirt in front of her, digging into it with her fingers and pulling it out in scoops. She wasn't sure if climbing the shard of earth was a good idea, not knowing how stable it was, and so digging through seemed safer.

The scream came again, but this time a voice answered in ragged breaths "I... I cant... get out!" It sounded like a little girl.

"Help!" Another voice screamed. This time of a boy. He sounded young as well. "My sister's trapped!"

"Two of them..." Amber looked worried, as did Liz. Patty simply hopped with her mouth open in awe at the nature around her. "We've got to save them."

"H-how?" Liz asked. "I know!" She ran over to the edge of the fallen earth and began climbing an area of broken stone. It was dangerous, but she had the others come along with her.

Once they got to the other side, they saw why the little girl couldn't get out and why her brother was frantically pulling at her wrists.

She was trapped beneath the fallen ground. Her poor, small body crushed waist down. The kids had somewhat dark skin, and brown eyes. The little girl's hair was done up in pigtails and a little blood dripped out of the side of her mouth. The kids were about seven from the looks of it. The little girl was wearing a pink shirt. What she was wearing as pants or shoes they couldn't tell, it being beneath the dirt.

Tears streamed down the boy's face. "Help my sister!" he cried. "Please!"

Liz, Amber, and Patty looked at each other solemnly. They could see that even if they managed to remove the land from the girl, whoever this little girl is would be dead in a matter of minutes. That fact was painfully obvious.

Liz walked up to the little girl, shoeing the boy away. She knelt down by the girl and rubbed her forehead. The girl's iris's met hers and she was taken back in her mind. Back to the streets of Brooklyn. Back to death in the city. Deaths she and Patty had witnessed first hand.

"It's okay." Liz cooed, trying not to let the weeping boy down too fast on the obvious truth. "Take slow breaths."

The little girl tried, and seemed to grow more calm.

Liz kept on comforting her. "Look up." she instructed. "Look to the sky. What do you see?"

"Gray... clouds." the girl choked in response.

"Now look at those trees up there. What do you see?"

"Green... leaves."

"Look here in the water around us. What do you see growing on those rocks?"

"Green... algae."

"What do you think of when you hear the word green?"

"Plants."

"What do you think of when you hear the words plants?"

"... Life."

"Yes." Liz smiled sadly. "When grass loses it's green, it turns brown. What do you think of then?"

"... Death."

"How are you feeling?"

"Dead."

It was a morbid answer, but Liz didn't expect anything less. "Do you like green?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you will live?"

"No."

"Well, when you die, you'll feed the earth and make more green grass. You will be offering... something great. You'll be offering life."

"I like that." The little girl gave a faint smile and started coughing. "I want to make green grass... But what will happen to me?"

"You'll become part of life. You will join the Earth."

"What about my soul?"

"You will find out soon enough." Liz's words came so softly and calmly, even the talk of death soothed the little dying girl. "I'm sure you'll be happy, and you'll move, and breath, and play. No worries in the world."

The girl's eyes fluttered shut, and Liz felt for a heartbeat.

There was nothing.

Leaving the girl's side, Liz walked over to the others.

Where was the boy?

"He left." Amber said. "He ran off."

"Why?" Liz asked, slightly shaken from the girl dying on her.

"He just... did." Patty answered, lacking in giggles. "We didn't see him go... He simply... vanished."

"Oh my! Oh my!" A big smile came over Amber's face. "Maybe it's a mystery!"

"Let's solve it!" Patty exclaimed.

"Enough!" Liz shouted, the girls in front of her no longer happy. "We must find the others! What's so hard to understand!"

Liz started walking off with the river, Amber and Patty following closely behind.

Maka and Keira found themselves in a deep section of water in a river. They struggled to get out.

The fluids surrounding them weren't exactly water... Something else was in it and making it dark and thick. It wasn't tar... So what it it?

Tall rocky cliffs surrounded them along with large broken off stone and fallen trees.

Grabbing a fallen tree's branch, Maka and Keira worked themselves out of the muck.

"Yikes." Maka gasped. She hated being so dirty. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know." Keira paused for a moment. They were walking through the river that reached Keira's ribs and Maka's chest. The water rushed, and they had to make sure not to slip. They were on constant guard to make sure not to run into any prehistoric fish-like creatures.

Meanwhile, Blackstar, Kid, Akiri, and Soul were also effected by the falling of rocks.

You see, they had walked into the woods before the terrible incident and had split up in order to find things easier.

Kid went with Blackstar, and Akiri went with Soul.

As Kid and Blackstar walked through the woods, Kid decided to put his black outfit back on and take off the wig and contacts. Of course he made Blackstar turn away. You don't want your friend watching you while you change... _usually_.

When Kid was back in his usual outfit and looked like himself again, he put the disguise back in the bag and walked back to Blackstar who made fun of him because of the disguise, greatly irritating the shinigami.

Soul and Akiri didn't do much talking. Instead, they simply headed around in search of anything, really.

They were effected like everyone else had been.

They all ended up in the same river after the crash, only they fell in different areas.

Soul and Akiri had landed right off the bat in deep, rushing water. They managed to swim and Akiri, taking Soul's hand, was pulled along until their feet could touch the floor of the river and their heads could still poke out of the peculiar waters.

Blackstar and Kid landed in shallow water.

"Kid... Are you okay?" Blackstar asked, standing up.

Kid nodded, and then looked around a bit, getting on his feet. "The bag with my disguise is gone!" he exclaimed in frustration.

"I was getting sick of _Robin_." Blackstar laughed. "And should you really be yelling? What if you cough up blood again?"

"Robin was necessary!" Kid didn't listen to Blackstar about shutting up. He was too upset. "I won't be able to hide my identity! Damn it! I'm such an idiot!" By this point, he was smacking his palm against his forehead again and again angrily. "It's all gone! I'm done for! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Blackstar walked up to Kid and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Come on now!" the ninja laughed "If you're this upset over losing a stupid outfit, you might as well be a girl!"

"Blackstar!" Kid stopped hitting himself and glared into Blackstar's eyes. "Don't you see that was my only disguise? The only thing I could have-"

"Get over it. You were annoying me anyways with that girly attitude you-"

"You know that was an act-"

"Of course I know that. I'm not an idiot. You're stupid being so upset about this."

"N-no I'm not. It's completely reasonable to be upset when your life is in danger. But you know what-"

"Kid, you're lucky. Every one has their eyes on you. You get so much attention. I would be glad to have that attention. Even if it's negative! All attention is great to the mighty Black-"

"Shut up!" Kid gave Blackstar a shove, clearly upset over Blackstar's moronic behavior.

Blackstar gave Kid a very creepy grin. The darkening clouds in the sky adding an eerie touch to the moment. "Come on, Kid. You don't need to start a fight."

"A fight?"

"Yes, a fight. Unless you want one. You know, I've been waiting to have a _friendly_ battle with you. Especially since this whole earthquake thing started." Blackstar walked up to Kid, insanity in his eyes.

"Blackstar?" Kid took some nervous steps back. _Why is Blackstar acting like this? _"Seriously, this doesn't need to be a-"

Blackstar shoved Kid, the shinigami landing on his back against the wet river floor. The blue haired ninja wasn't acting right. It was as if he was infected with madness.

Kid scooted away as one of his friend's feet nearly stomped him. Blackstar dove down at him, holding Kid's wrists and keeping the reaper down.

It started to rain, and almost immediately the water grew in height. Kid struggled against Blackstar's grasp. Usually he could fight him off, but Blackstar usually wasn't trying to... _kill_ him.

The ninja moved Kid's arms down and pinned his hands beneath his knees. Wrapping his hands around Kid's neck, he squeezed tightly.

Death the Kid knew this wasn't a friendly fight. Something was... possessing Blackstar. His friend would never hurt him like this... _right_?

"Bl...ack...star..." Kid gagged, feeling his friend's fingers grow tighter around his throat and his vision starting to blur. He couldn't breath. "Pl...ease...st...op."

He barely managed to get his hands out from beneath Blackstar's knees. Shakily, he reached up and weakly grabbed the sides of Blackstar's head. "Sor...ry."

Using what strength he could access, he lifted his back off the ground and the strangling grasp around his neck grew even tighter. He could hear and feel his heart pound in his chest and in his head. With that strength, he forced himself up and slammed Blackstar's skull as hard as he could against the river floor.

The grip finally relaxed, and like Blackstar's hands, Kid collapsed to the ground.

Gasping, he got up and looked into Blackstar's eyes. The evil look that was in them when he tried killing Kid was gone and his eyes closed.

There was blood coming from the back of Blackstar's skull and Kid put his hand around his mouth, fearing the worst.

_I didn't slam him that hard. _Kid thought in remorse _I only meant to knock him out._

Kid pulled Blackstar up onto a fallen rock. That was better than staying in the river while rain poured.

He was scared when lightening started to strike and thunder sounded louder than ever before.

Trembling, he climbed fallen rocks with Blackstar held tightly in one arm and the other arm helping him hold to the slippery stones.

Barely... just _barely_ did he get back onto dirt land and beneath trees. Pulling his friend deeper into the forest, he found himself lost in darkness as night fell with the rain.

Laying down by some bushes, completely exhausted, Kid watched Blackstar carefully at his side.

_What if when he wakes, he tries to kill me again? _The thought terrified poor Kid. There was no way he would be sleeping that night. _I can't kill him. He's my friend... my best friend._

_How could my friend do this to me? One minute we're talking, and the next he has his hands around my throat and is squeezing so tightly. What would make him do that? Why would he try to kill me?!_

The thoughts continued to haunt him. The rain offered no lullaby as it had before. Instead the rain offered the constant memory of what had happened. The memory that he couldn't bare to think of. If he had been exhausted before, by morning, he wouldn't be able to move.


	31. Chapter 31 Maka senses a friendly soul

"Kid?" Blackstar stood up in the morning. The ground was super muddy and his head hurt back.

"Blackstar!" Kid sat up immediately, dark circles under his eyes. "Y-you're awake."

"Yeah." Blackstar raised an eyebrow at his friend. Kid wore an odd expression. It was a mixture of worry and tiredness. The ninja noticed purple marks on the grim reaper's neck that looked like fingers had left behind. "Is your neck... bruised?"

Kid gasped. His neck had indeed been bruised. In a whisper, he asked "Hey, Blackstar, what do you remember from yesterday? What is the last thing you remember doing?"

"Talking to you." Blackstar answered. "You were upset about losing your disguise and then... I can't remember anything after that. Why do you ask?"

"No reason..." Kid replied. Should he tell Blackstar that he had tried to kill him by strangling him to death? Probably not... Besides, if Blackstar couldn't remember what he did, chances are he wouldn't be able to prevent another attack. What inside Blackstar _did_ attack him, anyways? "I was just curious."

"I see." Blackstar didn't lose his suspicion.

"Don't worry." Kid stood up shakily. He was so tired he didn't want to move. "I would be confused if someone randomly asked the same-" He coughed up blood, a sickening feeling entering his stomach. Blackstar came up to him and pat him on the back as the reaper choked on his own dear blood. Once the fluids that blocked his breath had been coughed out, he breathed through his nose and shook his head. He wouldn't be talking for the rest of the day if he could.

Maka and Keira walked along the woods, searching for anyone. They got out of the river as soon as it started to rain and Maka was trembling by the time lighting hit the tall trees and terrifying _'booms!' _shouted down at their little bodies.

The girls were desperate to find anyone. That was when Maka stopped and felt a presence. It was the same presence she had sensed before the earthquake. It was nearby.

Keira and her walked at a slower pace, Maka following the soul she sensed.

The soul got closer, and closer. Maka was getting a good feeling about this spirit.

Then in the deep forest. They found the source.

It was a girl with black hair done up in a bun and had a puffy side-bang, big brown eyes, pale skin, and big boobs. Sadly, it was Maka who made that observation. The girl wasn't too tall, nor was she short. She was about the same height as Maka. She wore black jeans and a blue T-shirt. In her arms, she held a machine gun. A very large, scary looking machine gun. She had muscle, but none that would bulk out like some man in a cartoon. You could tell either way she was strong.

To her side was someone Maka had not sensed the presence of. There was another girl, slightly shorter than the girl she stood next to. This girl had golden-blonde hair up in a pony-tail and big blue eyes. Her face was round like her friend, and she had lightly tanned skin. She wore tight blue jeans and had light-green boots. She wore silver glasses. She wore a light-green T-shirt. In her hands was a metal golf-club of her size. She appeared slightly timid among seeing Maka and Keira.

"Drop your weapons." the girl holding the machine gun ordered.

Keira and Maka glanced at each other and Keira, raising her machete out in front of her, dropped it for the strangers to see.

The gun-wielding girl lowered her weapon to her side and asked "What are you names?"

"I'm Maka, from the DWMA. This is Keira, a simple human." Maka answered.

The strangers looked at each other and back at Maka and Keira. "I'm Dinya Garry." The taller girl introduced herself.

"I'm Alyssa Clementine." the smaller blonde answered. "What do you want?"

"We're just out here alone and trying to find out friends." Maka stated, One hand outstretched and waiting for Dinya or Alyssa to shake. "Pleasure to meet you. Perhaps you can travel with us?"

"I don't know..." Dinya trailed off. She looked at Alyssa, who shrugged her shoulders in an I-don't-care sort of way. Turning back to Maka and Keira, Dinya nodded her head "Sure. I don't see the harm in increasing our numbers." Dinya took Maka's hand and gave it a friendly shake.

"Great!" Maka exclaimed, shaking hands with Dinya and then Alyssa. "All right! I'll explain a thing or two about our predicament. Let's continue searching for my friends."

"Gladly." Dinya laughed. "If we increase our numbers in a large amount, we might be able to take down whoever took over."

Soul and Akiri found themselves walking along the riverside. They followed the river because for the time being, it was the only guide they had. Akiri clung tightly to her machete, having nearly lost it in the waters.

"What are we going to do?" Akiri whined.

"I don't know." Soul answered. "I would like to find everyone, but that clearly isn't going to happen any time soon."

"Hm..." Akiri hummed forbiddingly. "Don't send bad thoughts into the universe... or as you say, you may never see your friends again. Osoroshī kangae ga utagawashī kōdō ni tsunagaru."

"Whatever." Soul rolled his eyes, nearly tripping on a tree root. "Cut it with all this universe crap and let's try to get somewhere."

"Universe crap?" Akiri inhaled and exhaled, trying not to get angry. "What I am saying isn't crap. It's quite likely that the more you believe in a certain outcome, the more likely that outcome is to be."

"Where did you get that way of thinking?"

"My _father_." Akiri frowned. "Do you even have the slightest bit of hope?"

"Hope for what?"

"That our future will get better."

"I do." Soul stopped walking and turned back to Akiri, a kind smile upon his face. "Even if I sound negative... what I say on the outside isn't always what I feel on the inside."

Akiri blushed lightly and turned away. Even though she liked the idea of Soul and Maka, (having been on that interesting mission some weeks back with Amber) she couldn't help but like Soul's cool-guy attitude. Nor could she help noticing how attractive the weapon was. She didn't like Soul too much, but he had his good qualities. It made the constant time forced to spend with him bearable. "You should express your insides more on your outsides... but that would ruin your cool-guy thing, right?"

"Yeah..." Soul was always surprised by how much a girl could pick up on a guy and his way of things while guys could be so oblivious. Even if he's one of those oblivious guys, he felt he deserved brownie-points for at least acknowledging that factor. "That would ruin quite a bit of my reputation."

"That, or it may boost it." Akiri laughed. "But reputation isn't important now."

"True." Soul stretched his arms upwards and with a great sigh, they continued searching.

Liz looked out over a less dangerous and cleaner looking river which was surrounded by trees and plants. She held a long, sharpened stick in her hand and she aimed it at the water. She was poised, ready to strike. Ready to spear any fish of any kind that would swim in her distance. Liz was so hungry that she didn't care _what_ she would get. Nor did she care _how_ she would get it.

Amber had carved the sturdy stick's end into a sharp point using her machete. Right now she was gathering firewood. Most of everything was wet, but they couldn't eat anything raw. Especially now when every food item is questionable.

Patty was in charge of watch. She made sure no dangerous predators were on the prowl. She was surprisingly good at her job, despite her hyper and easily distracted ADHA type personality. Besides, if it wasn't a predator, her constant giggling would scare anything away.

A fish swam in the river right in front of Liz after minutes of the teen being perfectly still. The fish seemed to be modern salmon... salmon? _Oh well_. Carefully positioning herself, in a swift movement, she had the fish speared and squirming. Some of it's blood reddening the river.

"I've caught a fish! And it's a big one, too!" Liz called out, her long blonde hair sparkling in the sunlight.

"Great!" Amber already had a fire going, despite most of the wood being wet. Liz walked over and handed Amber the long stick. Taking two separate sticks that both split in two on top, she shoved each into the sandy, dry river dirt opposite sides the flame. Then she placed the stick the salmon was speared through on top of the two sticks over the fire, moving the fish to the center of the stick to give it some balance. "It will take a while to cook," Amber pronounced. "I believe it would be best to keep a close eye on our food. Liz, will you work on cupping some water from the river? I'll find some sort of bowl we can wash out and put the water in. We'll have to boil the water to kill any deadly bacteria if possible. So come to think of it, Liz, don't worry about water until I get back."

"Don't go far." Liz warned, worry striking her soul. Worry, which was written on her face like Patty colors on paper with her crayons. "I don't want to lose you, Amber. You've been a good friend."

"I'm not sure if it's much of a big deal, but..." Amber gripped her machete handle with one hand and gave a salute with the other. "I won't be gone long. So just in case... Goodby, Liz, Patty, it has been a pleasure standing by your side."

"By, Amber!" Patty cackled. "See you soon!"

"Keep on the lookout!" Liz snapped at her sister, who quickly obeyed. "I'll see you soon, Amber. I hope everything goes right."

Amber walked off into the woods in search of a bowl-like thing as she had said. And as she had said, she didn't go far. She didn't need to, either. She found a stone that was shaped like a bowl and big enough for much water at once. With a great heave, she picked it up and carried it back to the waiting girls.

Liz was relieved upon her return, as was Patty. Liz did as she had been asked and gathered water in her hands. Once the bowl was full enough, she pushed it over to Amber.

By now the fire was high and the fish wasn't too burnt. Amber removed the stick with the fish, and jammed the stick into the ground. With Liz's help, they lifted the bowl of water onto the fire, careful not to make it burn out.

The water would take a long time to boil, but the girls enjoyed the fish as best as they could. It wasn't dry for the most part, but the taste was plain without any seasoning to add flavor. The sun was setting, and they had had a hard, and you could say a productive day of work. They were pleased with how things turned out, and for once were not hungry.

Blackstar and Kid had similar luck. Kid had managed to start a small fire, and he sat warming himself up by it. He couldn't help but feel the bruises on his neck. _What can I do? _Death the Kid tried not to think much of it, but how could he not?

Blackstar had caught some sort of tiny dinosaur thing that the two of them could not identify. They couldn't cut into it's skin, so the creature was ultimately released. Finally, Blackstar caught something they could very easily cut into. It was a simple rabbit, and a big one, too.

Like Amber had with the fish, Blackstar found a sharp stick and speared the rabbit, who's neck he had wrung, killing the fluffy bunny.

Instead of using two separate sticks, Kid held one side of the stick while Blackstar held the other and they did so over the fire, cooking the bunny after Blackstar gutted it with his bare hands.

The rabbit was cooked, and Kid went to boil water. He found a turtle shell. _That's weird... _he thought to himself _I didn't know turtles live so far up north._

He went down to the now very high river, and ever so carefully he climbed down the rocks he had climbed up in the pouring rain and scooped water into the shell. He managed to carry it back up without much spilling out and went back to where the fire was burning. He placed the shell on the side of the flame, so pulling it out after the water had boiled wouldn't be an issue.

Kid and Blackstar split the rabbit in half by literally, each grabbing one side, and pulling the flesh right off the bone.

The rabbit was good, and they didn't complain. They ate in silence, half because they were hungry, the other half because Kid didn't want to risk speaking.

They finished and kept some of the rabbit bones in case of possible use. They threw the rest of the carcass into the rushing river.

The boys warmed up, staring into the flame. It brought them warmth and comfort. It brought them light in a cold, lonely, dark time.

Blackstar and Kid would catch each others' eyes every once in a while. None could read the other very well of their thoughts, which Kid appreciated, because his thoughts consisted mostly of the unpleasant.

Soul and Akiri had luck with food as well, having run into familiar berries and, taking their chances, they discovered they had found a giant patch of wild raspberries. They didn't run into a good water source, though, and taking their chances with that and no ability to boil it from the looks of things was too much of a risk.

Maka and Keira greatly enjoyed the company of their new friends Dinya and Alyssa. They learned quite a lot about the new girls, too.

"I was here on vacation." Dinya explained. "My father and I had gone alone, because mother didn't want my siblings to leave as well with all the earthquakes." She swallowed when she said "And one day, just like that, my father and I were separated and all I had was this fine machine gun I found in some person's house." A happy laugh came up and she continued with "It's a good thing I went to the house right next to it, too, because that's where I met Alyssa. We've gotten to know each other and we've become really good friends."

"That's right." Alyssa, although being quiet at first, was quite loud and funny once she got used to Maka and Keira's company. "When she came into my house, I was like _'Who the hell are you? Why are you in my house? Do you want cookies or something?' _and Dinya was just like _'Oh, sorry, but if you haven't noticed the entire city is literally caving in, you should probably come with me.' _And I'm just like _'Okay then. I'll go grab a golf club and we can smack some bitches!' _After that, we got to know each other even more. And things went on from there. Turns out we actually had talked before online. I learned this after a very interesting conversation about the internet when we were busy fighting for our lives."

"We had started about TV shows..." Dinya went on. Pretty much, the entire night was filled with laughs. Even Keira couldn't help but let a smile creep over her face.

That night for Amber, Liz, and Patty, they slept well. The river helped them fall into a calm, deep sleep.

Soul and Akiri fell asleep soundly and had no issues.

Maka, Keira, Dinya, and Alyssa slept well. Hope was inside their hearts. More so than anyone else of their friends.

Blackstar was kept up a little thinking about Patty. He missed her and had nearly forgotten about her. Of course, he hadn't forgotten about Tsubaki or Soul, but he especially missed Patty. Once he had fallen to sleep, he struggled in his dreams. It had been a long time since he had dreamed about power and transcending the gods... well... the power part, anyways.

New voices whispered in his resting ears... Voices that weren't kind. He couldn't put a finger on it, but even in rest he was at unease. Voices whispered_ "__Destroy what is holding you back~" _and _"__Blackstar, you can be a great ruler. Get rid of those in your way~" _or _"__The one sleeping beside you is causing you your pain. He is evil. He is madness~"_.

Kid looked over at Blackstar nervously. There was something about the ninja's sleeping face that wasn't quite at rest. Perhaps it was the ninja's mouth twitching up into a smile, or the muffled giggles... Kid quietly stood up in the darkness, the fire lighting things up for a change. He backed away from the ninja slowly as a low, sinister hum sounded in his head.

That hum turned into a growl, and that growl an insane fit of laughter.

Leaning, back against a tree, Kid tried to ease his mind. He closed his eyes, only to see sepia and falling black feathers. Opening his eyes, he squinted, trying to keep his thoughts under control. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw, a distance from where he stood, a vulture. The bird watching him, waiting for something...

In a panic, Kid backed up from that side, eyes wide. The bird was unmoving.

He felt a warmth on his backside and realized the stupid mistake he just made.

One foot was in the fire. His shoe and pant leg were up in flames.

He screamed, and went into a fit of coughing. He fell to the ground trying to end the burning. His attempt failed, and the fire got higher up. Soon from all the thrashing, both legs had caught flame. Somehow Blackstar was still asleep, but the laughing grew louder and less muffled.

Kid backed up through some trees on accident, not realizing where he was on the land until it was two late.

It wasn't the falling into the river that was bad. In fact, that was good since it destroyed the fire which had gone up his entire right leg and half up the left.

It was the actual falling that was bad. The large rocks below would be an excellent place to break someone's neck, or skull in two. Kid was, in a way, lucky. Even though he fell back facing the edge, there was a moment in time between him and the rocks where he flipped and instead of hitting the rocks head on, the shin of his right leg met the long slab of stone's edge and he heard a cracking noise and felt it too on impact. He then tumbled on his side the rest of the way down, hitting the rocks very hard and nearly smashing his head on the side of a big one.

Upon entering the water, he grabbed hold of the edge of a rock so his now very weakened body wouldn't be pulled away by the high, rushing river.

"Bl... Blackstar!" Kid cried out in pain. Not only was the flesh on both his legs burnt badly, especially his right, but he could tell right away that his right leg was broken in a very painful place. His flesh sizzled in the water as it popped a little too. Kid bit down on his sleeve, grinding his jaw in attempt to numb the pain, but that didn't work. "Blackstar!" He cried out again.

Soon he realized that any attempt to wake Blackstar up from his dream would be useless. And in all his weariness, exhaust, and agony, he positioned himself in between two of the rocks, his waist down in water, he found himself beneath the rocks in some sort of cave.

In this cave, he saw a slab of stone he could lift himself onto. In the black darkness, he got himself up and shivering, he lay on his back wearing a grimace. It hurt so bad. He screamed, his voice echoing through the tiny cave.

He drifted into sleep, unsure about what he would come to find in the morning.

The flames that are burning your body,

light the fuse to your soul.


	32. Chapter 32 Liz and Soul's happy surprise

"Kid! Wake up!" Blackstar shouted, kneeling over the young shinigami. "Are you okay?!"

"Blackstar!" Kid woke up immediately. How Blackstar had found him, considering where he was, he couldn't tell. "How... Never mind. Do you have any memory of last night?"

"N-no... I was asleep."

"True. Anyways, as you can see..." Kid glanced down at the scorched off sections of his black pants and his damaged shoes. "I had gotten up last night and unintentionally... lit myself on fire."

"Seriously?!" Blackstar stood up, looking down at Kid's legs. Indeed the pants were burnt, and so was his skin, blackened and red, peeling and bloody, puss coming out of some parts. "Gross..." he mumbled. Then he noticed the shin of Kid's right leg. The flesh around the bloody gash on the shin had a sickly greenish tint. The actual bone seemed screwed up, like it was broken. Chances are it was, and Blackstar knew it. "What happened to your leg?"

"Well, I fell down trying to stop the burning and my shin hit the edge of a rock." Kid sighed. He wasn't too worried about his skin or flesh, since that should heal quickly. It was his shin that worried him. Of course his broken bones heal much faster than a regular human, but a broken bone could still mean a few days without moving. Also, it broke asymmetrically! _What bad luck! _Kid grimaced inside and he felt a knot in his stomach. _First the Earthquakes, then the dreamland, then my father, then the whole world! Blackstar tried to kill me. People are searching for me. And I broke my leg! And not only is it broken, but it is done so in an asymmetrical manner along with my cooked legs! Damn it! It still hurts! _

"Can you get up?"

"No."

"Oh..." The question was stupid. Blackstar looked away for a brief moment, aware of what he just asked. Of course Kid wouldn't be able to get up... None the less would he be able to walk. "Never mind that." Blackstar turned back to the grim reaper. "Since we are here now, would you like me to get you some food? Some of the water we boiled last night? I'll be back right away."

Kid smiled at his friend. Usually Blackstar wasn't too smart, but he was sure being helpful. It was nice of him to care, for that wasn't something he came around too often. "Yes please." Kid replied, trying to get more comfortable in his laying position. "The minute I can walk, you can be the leader for a bit. Right now, I'd be glad if you could help."

Blackstar smiled jubilantly. Most people didn't see it, but when Blackstar wanted to be helpful, he was very helpful. He thought of people more often than one would expect, but he didn't care much about what they thought, either. Even though his friends doubted his intelligence, as he did himself once in a while, he could use his head. And he would save his friends in a heartbeat if he had to.

Liz, Patty, and Amber stalked around the lowering river. Finally the waters were down and they could get across easily without worrying much about what was in the water.

The hot day, the hot sun, and the frankly humid air was quite a combination for their bodies. They sweated, and their sweat stuck to their skin. Usually the West has a dry-heat, and the East is humid. But from what they could tell, everywhere was hot and humid.

They drank tons of their boiled water, and used extra water to wash their hair and rub their skin to help clean themselves up a bit. They gargled and swashed the clean water in their mouths, spitting out onto the land as a way of washing their teeth. Not too successful in that, but not unsuccessful.

Liz had few things left on her mind other than survival. Kid wasn't much of a priority. Liz just wanted to find another human. Another friend. If she found Kid, she wouldn't be able to express what she could have done weeks ago. Not in this environment. Not ever, maybe. The thought that she would never truly be able to show her love and dedication haunted her, and so why not push those distracting thoughts to the back of her mind? It sure helped her focus on jobs assigned to her, luckily. She was less distracted and happier, too, not thinking of the thing that was bothering her the most.

Patty was giggly and cheerful as ever, but was taking things relatively seriously. She skipped in the water, falling a few times. The river water smelled bad, but oh well! Everyone smelled bad, anyways. At least they could boil water if they found a bowl of some sort and a flame. Then they could rinse off. The rain that had fallen helped clean them up, too. They could get food, specifically fish. Patty still dreamed about junk-food, though. Doughnuts, hotdogs, pizza, ice cream, chips, fries, and so on. Cotton-candy too! It made her happy to think of those things, along with pigs and giraffes. Like in the 'Sound of Music', the woman had sung about thinking of your favorite things.

"Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens~!" Patty started, Amber and Liz, still walking, looking back at her skipping figure. "Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens~!" **(I do not own the lyrics to **_**Sound of Music **_**'My favorite things', nor do I own **_**Sound of Music.**_** Obviously! It's not like I own Soul Eater, either! :3)**

"What's she doing?" Amber asked the older sister with a laugh.

Liz shrugged. "Back at Death City, Patty often requested Kid to play the movie 'Sound of Music'." Kid... He popped back into her mind with that sentence. _Ooh..._

Patty went on with the song. "Brown paper packages tied up with strings! These are a few of my favorite things!"

"I have a feeling..." Liz glanced over at Amber and Patty, the younger girls had the biggest smiles on their faces. A warm feeling entered her heart. Was this hope?

Amber joined in with Patty on "Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels! Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles! Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings!"

And all the girls joined in with joyful expressions at "These are a few of my favorite things~!"

Liz giggled. This day didn't start off badly. That's a start. And now it seemed the girls were taking turns, and Liz was up. The lyrics oddly fitting and done with feeling.

Acting dreamily, Liz sang "Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes!"

"Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes!" Patty's voice sang in her usual goofy tone. She sounded like the woman who sings _'Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows'_.

"Silver white winters..." Amber seemed to forget the lyrics and Patty saved her with

"-That melt into Springs!"

And the girls chimed "These are a few of my favorite things!"

"When the dog bites!" Patty snapped her jaw shut like she was impersonating an alligator.

"When the bee stings!" Amber poked Liz on the shoulder.

Liz thought of Kid, but really, she couldn't feel sad while singing "When I'm feeling sad." because of the random burst of song.

"I simply remember my favorite things!" The girls sang simultaneously, Amber quietly, Liz sweetly, and Patty goofy "And then I don't feel!... So bad!~"

They didn't continue, due to the fact that right in front of them was a very confused Soul and Akiri.

You see, Soul and Akiri had strayed from their raspberry bush on a quest to search for people. Pretty much, the same thing they have been doing since they were separated.

Upon crossing the river, the two thought nothing of it. It was when they heard familiar voices singing and turned the river's corner that they saw the now silenced, red faces of Liz, Amber, and Patty. Of course, Patty's face wasn't red and she continued to hum the tune of the song

"Um..." Soul coughed a little, feeling hot all the sudden. He was super hot from the sun and humidity, but this heat was from awkwardness.

"Soul!" Liz's heart jumped and she pranced along the water and embraced Soul tightly in reunion. "I missed you so much! Are you two okay?!"

"Well... yeah." Soul gulped. Liz released him and her face was flushed with glee. Soul felt heat rise in his face. Why is it that he just so happens to be the only guy in the reunited bunch of them?! If Kid or Blackstar had been with him, things would be way less weird. But shortly after, he stopped caring. They were his friends, after all. Especially Liz, of whom he talked to often and shared much with because she thought he was cool and charismatic. Not that she was attracted to him like that, but she could tell he was an awesome guy, even without most of his _coolness_. "I've been missing you guys, too. Do you know where the others are?"

"No." Liz shook her head with a sigh. "I haven't gotten a clue."

Even with the sad realization it was just them, they were still happy to see each other and relieved to see they were still alive.

Soul looked out over the river. Finally the river was at a good height. "I'm hungry." He stated.

"Aren't we all?" Amber asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Akiri nodded in agreement. "We should get some food soon."

"Can't we look a bit longer for the others before settling down today?" Patty asked with a _'huff'_.

"Of course." Liz agreed. "Let's do that."

By the end of the day, the reunited bunch had eaten, drank, and fallen asleep early to get a head-start in the morning.

Maka and Keira looked up to the falling night. Dinya and Alyssa did the same.

They were on elevated ground where there were nearly no trees. The night sky was clear and starry. Things were so beautiful when there was a lack of artificial light.

So they lay on the ground, enjoying the view.

"Do you think Lord Death will be killed?" Keira asked, focusing on Maka to answer the question.

"No..." Maka's answer showed clear uncertainty. She was too focused on the bright moon to think of such a dark thing. But when Keira asked, it hit her that there was work to be done. "I don't know when... or if they'll do it. I do know that usually, Lord Death is strong and can get out of these messes. I wonder if he's already escaped."

"Hm... Lord Death is good." Dinya commented. "But I prefer to think of a brighter looking god."

"Same here." Alyssa spoke up. "But I don't think Gods matter too much in this situation. It's the people."

"Right." Dinya sighed. "But I still wonder what's gonna happen if we die."

"Anyways..." Maka said, trying not to get off topic too much. "I think most of the DWMA staff are okay, too. They're all so strong."

"You never know." Keira obviously doubted the thoughts of them being okay. "Whoever took over isn't good. Chances are they destroyed more than America. At this time, we can't really tell how far the extent of damage is."

"True..." Maka yawned, her eyes fluttering shut. "Very... true."

Blackstar had done as he said and treated Kid well all day. Kid was pleased with his friend's efforts and actually asked for little, feeling guilty about not doing anything and laying down all day. (even though he didn't have much of a choice)

As night settled, Blackstar lay down between Kid and the water. Pitch black surrounding them.

"Thank you." Kid said, a smile on his face invisible in the shadows. "You've done a lot today. I slept a lot. Tomorrow the burns will be all better, but I'm not sure about the broken leg."

"Don't sweat it." Blackstar assured, pride in his system. He had taken good care of his friend. That gave him a feeling he usually didn't get due to his lack of helping friends. "It's all the mighty Blackstar can do for his little friend."

"Sure..." Kid chuckled quietly. "Again, thank you."

Tsubaki opened her eyes wide at the bright metal surrounding her. She was in a cell and outside of the cell was a flowing river with circular objects going along in the middle where people would stand on. She was in a black dress, a lot like a maid outfit. In fact, it _was_ a maid outfit. Why was she in it?

A man knocked on the cell bars with a greedy look plastered on his hideous face. "Get over here, you bitch!"

Tsubaki trembled... _Bitch. _The word stuck. "W-what do you want?" she quivered, backing up against a cold corner.

"You've been here for days." The man smiled sickly, eyes piercing through her soul. "I would have imagined you'd understand what it means when_ I_ want _you_ to _come_ over _here_."

Tears streaming down her face, Tsubaki did as told.

Darkness can fill one's soul, despite the world around being light. Pain can enter one's body, despite the situation. Dread can fill one's life, despite what seems peaceful. And memories can escape one's mind, no matter how traumatic.

**(Sorry for not uploading as often. I have lots of homework and stuff after school. :P)**


	33. Chapter 33 Falling on rocks can hurt

Maka and Dinya looked at each other with wide eyes. They weren't sure what just happened.

You see, when they woke up once the sun had risen, things were going at a normal pace. The usual, you know? Maybe find a little thing to eat and drink the boiled water from the night before if it was still there and good. After the first hour, Maka felt off. Something was bugging her. It was like... a sixth sense. _Today may seem normal,_ Maka thought surely_ but something is bound to happen. _

Keira seemed to sense something as well, and stayed back from the others like Maka.

At this time, Dinya and Alyssa sensed nothing out of the ordinary. Even Maka and Keira weren't positive about what they were feeling.

As they walked along, they noticed something right away along the path they had found.

"There was a fire here." Maka stated the obvious, looking down at the burnt out pile of sticks surrounded by some stones. There was a turtle shell on the edge on the ashes. "What's that?"

Holding her hand over the pile, Keira made sure the pile wasn't hot. It was, but just barely. Taking the turtle shell from the pit, she noticed the inside was kind of moist. "Hm... Interesting. It appears this turtle shell held water inside for some time. I wonder who used it. Maybe they are still around."

"Yeah!" Alyssa smiled. "Someone... human maybe, is around or something!"

"We can increase our numbers." Dinya wasn't sounding too enthusiastic. Her friend took place of her usual bright attitude, hers was replaced with solemness and furrowed brows. "That is, if the people are willing to join us. But we can't raise our hopes now. First thing is we've got to find the makers of this fire."

"Look at this." Maka knelt down by the cliffs edge. The edge was shielded with plantation, so if you have crappy depth perception, you wouldn't be able to tell the drop leading down to the river was even there. "It looks like someone stumbled and took a bad fall. Some plants around these marks are burnt. Perhaps there was an incident with the fire."

"That's possible." Keira cocked her head to get a better view of the distorted tracks, kneeling down beside Maka. "That, or a heavy animal, maybe a dinosaur, made these tracks. Either way they lead off into the river we know is below."

"Let me see." Alyssa said, taking Maka's place. Maka stood up next to Dinya and watched Keira and Alyssa with a worried look.

Dinya noticed the young blonde's expression and asked quietly "What's wrong, Maka-kaka?"

"What's up with the name?" Maka mumbled, and then whispered "I've felt off for an hour or two-"

"Maybe you're on that time of the month." Dinya chuckled, but stopped shortly after. "In what way have you felt off?"

"I don't know." Maka admitted. "But I feel liked something bad is about to happen."

"Oh..." Dinya lifted her machine-gun in her arms and gripped it against her chest. Alyssa's golf club was held beneath one of her arms. "Let's be on the lookout, then."

"Huh?" Maka was dumbfounded. Why was Dinya taking a hunch so seriously? Maka had to admit that if Soul or any other friend, excluding Tsubaki and Kid, perhaps, had said something like what she just said, she would have shrugged it off without worry. But Dinya had a listening quality to her that made her quite nice. It was sisterly, no doubt. After all, Dinya had siblings, and probably listened to them a lot. Or not. _You never know with sibling. _Maka grinned. She was an only child. How could she know? "Thanks." Was all she could utter as a reply.

Keira and Alyssa stood up shakily, Alyssa's face had paled. "Anyone who fell from that height must be dead." Herteeth chattered even though the air was hot. "How can someone survive all those rocks?"

"I don't know." Keira said. "Let's get out of-"

It happened so quickly that no one saw it coming. Maka and Dinya looked at each other with wide eyes. They weren't sure what just happened. The girls had simply fallen back and vanished through the brush and off the cliff. There was lots of screaming heard on the way down, and then something that sounded like two guys yelping out with the girls before the splash of water was heard.

The explanation for the male yelps is simple. Let me explain.

Kid and Blackstar woke up early that morning. Blackstar, because he accidentally fell into the water next to him. Kid, because he was awaken by the splash of Blackstar landing in water and swearing at the top of his longs.

"So," Blackstar pulled himself out of the water, splashing Kid in the face. "Can you get up today?"

"Let's see." Kid sighed, drying his face with his sleeve. He sat up and checked his legs out through the many burns in his pants. None of the holes burnt in his pants went any higher than the tops of his knee caps, so at least he could rip off the asymmetrical bottom half and be left with symmetry. His burns were gone, and his broken bone was healed greatly. It still hurt terribly when he stood up and applied pressure, giving him an obvious limp. "I can walk." he answered.

After what seemed like forever, the boys re-entered the water and were able to walk out into the open after squeezing through the entrance the rocks provided.

Out on the river, the boys took in deep breaths of air. Kid was happy to be out in the sunlight, but his leg...

They heard talking and glanced at each other with raised eyebrows and cocked heads. "What's..." Blackstar asked slowly "What is that?"

Then there was screaming, it wasn't until last minute that it happened.

Keira collided with Kid, and Alyssa collided with Blackstar. That was when the boys yelped, startled, and slightly pained.

They were thrown to the water, the girls on top of them.

"Ow..." the fallen children groaned.

Blackstar tapped Alyssa's shoulder and the little blonde got off of him, getting onto her knees and yawning.

Keira got off Kid and stood up, looking down at the shinigami. "Hello, Death the Kid." She _smiled_... Keira _smiled_! Something got to her, may it be having fallen down the rocks without dying, or landing on the god she hoped to find. "Long time, no see."

Keira reached out a hand, and helped Kid onto his feet.

"H-hey Keira." Kid bowed his head to her in a wobbly manner as a form of recognition. Looking back up to her, he laughed softly and asked "How have you been?"

"Fine." Keira looked down at the burnt patches on Kid's pants and asked "What happened? Why is your shin kind of purple?"

"I broke it, but it's healed..." Kid answered. "The pants? I'll just rip off what I can to make it symmetrical."

"Ah~ _Yes_. The _symmetry_."

"Why do you say it like that?"

Keira gave a knowing look, glancing at no one in particular. Turning back to Kid, she shook her head and, seriousness returning, said "Never mind. Maka and two others are with us."

Blackstar observed the shorter blonde with a curious spark in his eyes. "What's your name?"

"I'm Alyssa." Alyssa answered. She was shaken up from the fall, but she wasn't hurt badly. Just a few scrapes here and there. "Who're you?"

Maka and Dinya peered down from above and rushed to greet them very carefully. They entered the river, running over to the others.

Dinya embraced Alyssa tightly and handed the blonde her golf club without too much reason in doing so.

Maka hugged Blackstar, to his surprise. "I've missed you!" She cried out. "We've been looking for everyone and... these girls here are my friends. Dinya, and Alyssa."

"Hi." Blackstar waved a hand at the girls, escaping Maka's crippling bear-hug. "My name is Blackstar."

Maka rushed over and hugged Kid. Unlike Blackstar, who generally didn't care. Kid's reaction was retracting immediately and looking quite confused.

He wasn't hugged often, as we all know. If he was, it was either Liz, Patty, or his father. Anyone from outside that circle, even his friends, he either had no reaction at all, or had a weird reaction. Especially if he wasn't paying attention to the one about to hug him.

Maka shrugged off the rejection of a simple hug, pretending it didn't matter. Inside, she was in rage-mode. It's like she's fighting with herself using reason against bare feelings. Kid reminded her of Crona a bit, which helped with the reasoning side.

"_It's like he's afraid to be hugged." _her 'feels' remarked. _"Even Soul doesn't reject affection."_

_Soul likes me. _Maka's reasoning stated. _At least... Yes... Soul likes me. I'm not hurt because Kid didn't accept my hug._

"_Oh, but you are. Just like you'd be upset if Crona rejected a hug."_

_I expect Crona to be terrified of love._

"_Kid, Crona. What difference. Aside from the fact that Crona's a girl."_

_What's that supposed to mean?!_

"_You're more upset when Crona doesn't hug you. Are you a-"_

_Shut up! I'm not. I like Soul. I like Crona, but I like boys._

"_Are you sure?"_

_We're getting off topic._

"_I'm your mind. I'm thinking about whatever you're thinking when you're thinking it."_

… _You're an annoying mind._

"_I'm just a representation of how people see you-"_

_Shut up!_

"Sorry, Maka." Kid noticed Maka's blank stare into the distance and for a brief moment. He thought he hurt her feeling or something. "Did I upset you?"

"No~" she answered, still looking dazed to the core. Then she snapped out of it and, turning to Kid, waved her hands in front of her in an I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about style. "Oh, sorry, Kid! I was out of it for a moment. Don't worry."

"... Okay."

Once everyone was somewhat settled, they crossed the river with little difficulty and began exploring the other side.

They hadn't talked about what they needed to, yet. They hadn't even given proper introductions yet!

Meanwhile, Amber and Patty played around on the other half of land they were yet to explore.

"This is nice." Soul breathed out with a peaceful look on his face.

The land they were on was rich and fertile like almost everywhere else they had been to. Trees, and little prehistoric creatures that they didn't worry much about scattered the grounds. "What are you thinking of, Liz?" he asked when he noticed the taller blonde's distant gaze. Maka would get that same kind of thoughtful look whenever Soul did or didn't do something that upset her. Maka did that often. Soul knew he upset the pig-tailed blonde enough, and wasn't surprised when she appeared dazed. Only with Liz, it didn't seem like the distance in her eyes was caused by anger.

Liz looked over to Soul, something tired in her expression. She seemed worried, even sad. Maybe depressed, if you are willing to go that far.

"Thinking of Kid?" he asked, knowing Liz too well to not get her distress.

"Yeah." she answered with a shaky sigh. She had done this a few times after Soul and her were reunited. Just a few, but it was obvious. All girls, and even guys had moments where they were deep in thought. Those thoughts of either anger, daydreaming, curious thinking, determination, or sadness. "When I'm thinking of him, I get really sad."

"We just need to find him."

"You say it like it's simple."

"The concept is." Soul stated firmly. "It's the actual success of this activity that can come out as difficult."

"Hm?" Akiri turned to the white haired boy, observing Liz and his chat with ears and eyes. They walked along as if no one was playing in the background, moving steadily with them.

Liz raised her eyebrows in surprise at the smart comment. "True. But still, we can't just call out his name or something. Or any of their names, for that matter. Or... can we?"

"I'm not sure what the _negative_ effects would be." Soul shrugged. "Of course, we might attract deadly predators, or bad people. Either way, we may or may not come out successful."

"Come on!" Akiri spoke up from her quietness. Liz and Soul turned to her. They hadn't noticed she was there, none the less that she was listening. "We can find them if we call their names. I'm sure!"

"But we might-" Soul was interrupted by Akiri started the process without his agreement.

"Maka!" Akiri called. "Maka! Anata no sumātona on'nanoko ga koko ni kuru!"

Amber and Patty noticed what Akiri was doing and joined in.

Amber shouted "Keira! Keira!"

Patty shouted "Blackstar! Blackstar!"

"I guess it's no use." Soul laughed on the inside, his smirk showing his amusement. "Alright. Tsubaki! Tsubaki!"

Liz was happy. She was out of her bad mood. She called out "Kid! Kid!"

Soon they were running along the forest, calling out their friends names in hope of success.

In hope of finding them.


	34. Chapter 34 The group back together

"Do you hear that?" Kid asked Blackstar. There was a sudden yelling in the forest above, and that was alarming.

"Hey!" Maka called up, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Hey you guys! They're calling our names!"

"That's right!" Blackstar screamed out "Soul! Come over here like a real man!" The others joined in the shouting, and the results were fabulous.

Liz heard, and immediately looked out over the edge they stood upon and the minute she saw the others, tears welled in her eyes and a relieved, happy smile painted on her face. "They're there." she announced to the others. Soul came over and saw this was true, the same gleeful smile crossing his face.

"Let's get down to them!" Patty giggled, dangling her feet over the edge.

"And do it fast too." Amber warned. "We don't want to somehow miss our chance."

Out in the river, the joyous bunch watched their friends get down into the shallow water. The reunion was pleasant and filled with love. I'll give a good description of it to paint a proper picture in your mind.

Liz was the first to dash over. She hugged Kid tightly and at first he wasn't sure how to react, showing clear confusion. Then he sighed and with a soft smile, wrapped his arms around Liz. It felt good to be back in her loving arms and warmth that although he wasn't crying on the outside, in the inside he was whimpering like a puppy who was reunited with one of it's loved pack members. Their embrace didn't stop. They were cradled in each others arms and didn't wish to let go and lose each other again.

Soul walked up to Maka, and she erased the distance between them by running up and jumping (pretty much jumping) into Soul's arms. Soul couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief, and Maka couldn't help but bury her face against his warm neck and breath in deeply. Soul rested his chin on the pig-tailed blonde's shoulder and whispered "Maka, you'd be surprised of how much I missed you."

Maka couldn't reply to that. She was starting to tear up and didn't want to show so much emotion. Not now, anyways. "Mmm..." she hummed, and managed to say "I missed you more than you missed me, I'm sure."

Patty and Blackstar didn't hug. Well... Patty hugged Blackstar and let go immediately. He didn't hug back, but they did have quite the fit of laughter. There wasn't much of a reason to burst out laughing to the point of tears. In fact, what reason was there? True happiness in seeing each other, perhaps, had caused such a pleasurable feeling in their souls that they couldn't help but laugh at the tickling sensation in their hearts and their brains that was oddly soothing. They stood there, laughing so hard it hurt.

Amber and Keira exchanged handshakes. Akiri and Keira raised eyebrows at the other after glancing around the scene. Dinya and Alyssa greeted those they hadn't met. And so on so forth. Once the crying and hugging had ended, they all got together in a discussion.

"So... What now?" Maka asked. "We should have a plan of some sort."

"What kind of plan?" Blackstar asked. "Plans for saving the world? Plans for saving the people? Plans for saving ourselves?"

"Blackstar," Soul started. "I think she means plans in general. Honestly, we should settles ourselves better before thinking of anything that hurts our simpleton brains."

"You're right." Liz agreed. "Why don't we get out of the water and get on some dry land? We can prepare a little camp and-"

"Last time any of us prepared a camp, the world might as well have exploded." Akiri stated. "Seriously! It's like once we're settled in, we are instantly broken up again."

"That may have been coincidence." Death the Kid said. His chin rested on his hand and he had a thoughtful, intelligent look. "Of course those earthquakes can happen at any time. We are not the ones who decide. It's the organization that took over."

"As always, you're too smart for us." Liz mumbled. And then to the rest of them, she added "At any time those occur, we should be more prepared. Instead of wondering off, we must stick together! What's really been keeping us apart is our constant separation. If we keep close together, it's less likely that if the land splits, we ourselves will be split up with it."

"That's the thinking." Keira nodded in approval to Liz's words and said "Let's get our feet set on solid ground and make a warm fire to keep us heated. We can boil water, and hunt for food to eat and animals to cook. Once everyone is settled in, we can make proper introductions and explain what's happened so far..." She thought for a moment and continued with "We can create a camp, as Liz suggested. We can make nice beds and rest. We'll sleep next to each other around the fire to make sure no one is anywhere farther than eight feet from another. We'll then discuss what we can do, and how to improve what we are capable of at this moment."

"Brilliant." Soul yawned unenthusiastically. "Simply brilliant." He didn't sound too enthusiastic either.

"Come on." Patty chuckled, patting (smacking) Soul on the back so that he nearly fell over from shock and force. "Don't be so sarcastic! Be glad we're together again!"

"Let's do it!" Kid clapped his hands together in conclusion. His thoughts were simple. Get in good shape. Defeat whoever took over. Save his father before it was too late. And especially kill Arthur, that bastard from the IHK. "Come on. Let's go sort ourselves out already."

They got themselves back into the forest on elevated dry land. Immediately they began organizing a camp.

They all stood in a circle and assigned jobs. Maka assigned them. "Dinya and Alyssa, you two will be in charge of setting up a fire. Keira, Akiri, you'll be in charge of making nice soft beds around the fire for each of us."

"How do we do that?" Akiri asked, raising an eyebrow. "What soft stuff can we use?"

"Moss." Keira answered. "Lots of it, too."

Maka continued. "Blackstar, you can hunt for food. Kid, you can prepare it."

"Got it." Blackstar placed his fists proudly on his hips. "Nothing the mighty Blackstar can't do!"

"Sounds about right." Kid agreed. "I'll get that done when I can."

"Soul, you collect water to boil in a shell or something." Maka instructed. Soul agreed quietly, mumbling something beneath his breath. "Amber, you'll help cook with Kid. Patty, you can go with Soul to collect water. We should really try to stick together. Liz, you and I can look for berries and stuff that's edible."

"Okay." Liz nodded. "But who's going with Blackstar?"

"I'm sure he can handle himself on his own." Maka smiled at the blue haired ninja. "That's no problem, right Blackstar? I'm not overestimating you, am I, Blackstar?"

"Of course not!" the ninja furrowed his eyebrows. "I can handle things on my own!"

"It's settled then." Maka patted her chest, proud of her leadership. "Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!"

Everyone got to work as soon as things were establish. They collected what they needed, and had fun while at it.

Patty and Soul spoke little, but Soul did enjoy hearing Patty laugh so much during such a small activity. Akiri and Keira collected soft plants and moss and arranged the beds precisely around the fire Alyssa and Dinya had skillfully created after making the fire-pit. Maka and Liz silently collected berries that the girls recognized as blueberries and raspberries. It was odd, those fruits growing out here in the west. They weren't sure if that was normal, or just another odd effect of the earthquakes.

Kid and Amber didn't speak much at first, but Amber thread her way into Kid's more open voice using her curiosity to fuel her.

"So Kid," Amber asked. Since Blackstar had just left, they had nothing to do. Instead they just sat around near the freshly lit fire while the others around them were absorbed in their own work and paying little to no attention to them. "How are you these days?"

"I'm fine." Kid answered without looking at Amber. He was absorbed in his own mind at the moment. He was thinking about the IHK and what they were planning to accomplish by doing such horrible things like reviving species extinct for millions of years. "How about you?" He asked, even though he didn't want to be distracted from his buzzing thoughts.

"I'm just dandy." Amber giggled, inching closer to the grim reaper. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing important." he stated with a sigh. "Nothing that concerns you, anyways."

"Hm..." Amber leaned against Kid, startling the shinigami. He turned and looked at her with a raised brow.

"What are you doing?"

"I wanna talk to you. I'm board."

"Fine. What do you want to talk about."

Amber stopped pushing against Kid and sitting up straight like the reaper, she said "I want to know what it's like being a death god."

"It's hard work." Kid answered, rolling his eyes. "Why do you want to know?"

"I just do." she laughed "You can't keep a kitty from playing with another kitty's ball of yarn. Now Kid, what's it like?"

"Like I said, it's hard. Being a death god is a big responsibility because you're planned to guide humans and keep their sanity in check. The shinigami is the soul source of balance on this Earth and we must do what we can to keep that balance. Humans can't comprehend... They expect too much of us because we're gods, and yet they always ask for things that they could easily handle themselves. I mean... they should expect a lot from us. We _are_ in charge after all. But when they have their own rulings and governments, asking from us things that they could figure out or accomplish in a few minutes it just ridiculous."

"But gods are so strong-"

"My father is strong. A full death god is one of the most powerful beings on this planet aside from the kishin, which is what I am aware of. But now that he was weak and is no longer in power, I don't know what I can do. Father purposely made me so that I wouldn't have all my power right away as a god. When Asura was created, he was made with all his power accessible. That's what made him so powerful. But I'm just the first of the incomplete shinigami, and when I am complete, I don't know how I'll ever be able to gain control over the world again and guide the humans and end this madness. I plan on fixing things, though. That's my job as Death God."

"I see." Amber didn't get it, but she didn't feel like asking anymore. It was like her brain was about to burst.

Meanwhile, Blackstar had already caught three rabbits and one squirrel. Since he was supplying food for so many people, he had to catch more than one. He was far from the camp, but could find his way back relatively easily. As he hopped along tree branch to tree branch, he spotted someone down below.

It was a soldier. I won't go into details of what he was wearing, because I've done that once already with Tsubaki's encounter. And so, you should be able to paint a good picture in your mind of the masked man's looks.

Blackstar was thoroughly disturbed by the bird mask with the long beak. He wasn't scared, but he didn't feel very too safe.

The soldier seemed confused and lost, holding the pale metal poker in his hand. The man, who sounded young, muttered "Stupid leader giving stupid orders and stupid partners leaving me behind! Those bastards. I'll show them what true leadership is like! Right after I bring them that damned shinigami, they'll put me in charge! And I'll be the ruler!"

"Fool." Blackstar mumbled. He was caught in the man's gaze and stared back at the soldier with an amused expression. "What are you doing mumbling to yourself about being ruler?"

"You!" The soldier sounded shocked that he had been spotted. "Come down here!" He held out the rod.

"What's that toy?" Blackstar smirked, still up in the tree branches. "If you want to be a leader so bad, why don't you get me down?"

"... As a soldier, I am required to ask this. Do you know who the two shinigamis are?"

"Of course! Everyone does."

"What is your view on the gods?"

"Hm... They're great! But not as strong as me, the mighty Blackstar!"

"Blackstar..." the soldier continued asking questions. "Do you belong to the DWMA?"

"Why yes I do."

"... After our organization looked through the records of DWMA, you are recorded as one of the strongest students. You are a higher level meister. And the records of your behavior showed you had close relationships with Death the Kid. You don't happen to know where Death the Kid is, do you?"

"I know what you are doing." Blackstar laughed. "Why would I give my friend up when doing that isn't helping me at all?"

"... You know where he is?"

"Yes!" What Blackstar was saying wasn't really stupid. Even though one may see it as foolish when you're weaponless and challeng an armed officer, Blackstar was certain he could take the armored man. And he was getting a good laugh annoying him as well. "And I'll never tell you!"

"I'll have to take you under custody." The soldier stated. "I would appreciate it if you would come down here."

"... Fine!"

Blackstar jumped down in front of the officer. Swiftly, the officer placed the metal rod's side against Blackstar's jugular vein. Blackstar, even quicker, grabbed the rod where the soldier was holding it and ripping it away from the soldier, he placed the end against the man's armor. Pressing a button that looked useful, Blackstar sent an electric shock through the man's armor and when he ceased the button pressing, the solder was out cold.

"What can I do with this?" Blackstar laughed. Placing the rabbits and squirrel in his shirt. Then he picked up the heavy, unconscious soldier and swung the tall man over his shoulder. He then carried the man back to camp, wanting to know what to do with the soldier.

By the time Blackstar arrived back at camp, everyone had chosen their bed and was eating blueberries. Water boiled in a turtle shell halfway in the fire, and everyone looked shocked when they saw the soldier. Especially Kid.

"What the hell, Blackstar!" Maka ran up to the ninja and Blackstar dropped the sleeping soldier onto the ground. She looked angry, and concerned.

"He tried to attack me." Blackstar explained. "He didn't get very far."

"... At least you're okay." Soul spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "What do you want to do with-"

"Tie him up." Kid commanded. Someone looking on the outside would have seen his usual seriousness amplified a thousand times. But inside, he was mad as hell. Angry and fearful. If this soldier belongs to the IHK, which he had no doubt he does, he would kill him right away. That, or he'd think of some sort of suitable punishment._ The IHK, who took my father_. he steamed.

Dinya and Alyssa grabbed the soldier off the ground and asked "Where should we tie him?"

Kid thought for a moment, and pointed to the tree nearest the fire. "Tie him up there. Even if he's by us when we're sleeping, if he does anything, I'll gladly make sure he doesn't try again."

"You're sounding scary." Liz said to Kid, an anxiousness in her heart for her meister.

"Okay." Alyssa and Dinya found thick green vines and wrapped the soldier up onto the tree. The fire reflected off the metal armor. "That's gonna get really hot." Alyssa stated.

A sick smile came across Kid's face. "That's fine. Maybe some long-term effects are just what he needs. Something that will stick with him forever."

There was a painful silence among the group. They weren't sure if they should stop Kid from hurting the enemy, or join in with him. During this, Amber gutted and skinned the rabbits and squirrel and speared them through sticks over the fire after rubbing water on the flesh. She then washed her hands with some water. "I can't wait till the water boils." she stated. "I'm thirsty."

Once the food was cooked, everyone ate and started going over what had happened to them. Blackstar asked what happened to Tsubaki, and Maka shed a few tears explaining how she didn't have a clue what happened. Blackstar nearly cried himself, but he had faith that his weapon was alive.

After everyone had fallen asleep, Kid was awake, sitting up in the light of the fire. The blackness around him creating some sort of shield.

The grim reaper stared at the soldier. The metal around the soldier's crotch was glowing a light orange. The crotch armor just so happened to be closest to the fire. The idea that the man would never be able to reproduce gave Kid an ill satisfaction, and Kid knew it too, that it was wrong. Even if this man was the enemy, he was scared because it was pleasing him.

The soldier woke, and instantly fought against the vines, failing and giving up right away.

The man noticed Kid, and instantly recognized him.

"You," the man said, his voice shaking from the pain between his legs. "Release me, shinigami."

"Shh~" Kid hushed the man. "My friends are sleeping." Walking up to the soldier, Kid managed to remove the mask.

Beneath the mask was a young man with curly blonde hair and some wrinkles around his eyes. His eyes were a dark brown. He had a pained, yet hateful look on his face. He stared at the shinigami with disgust, as Kid stared at him with disgust as well.

"Shinigami." The man spat at the reaper's face. Kid wiped his face with his sleeve. The soldier spoke quietly, at least. "You disgusting piece of shit. Why don't you release me and come with me. You'll be able to join your father, you know."

Upon hearing this, Kid's heart dropped. _His father_... His father was with them. He nearly threw up at the thought of joining him and failing... failing all the shinigami. He'd be no better than Asura... "You can hold on the swearing." Kid tried to hide the uneasiness in his tone of voice, but he just couldn't stop from shaking. "You sicken me. I'm no fool. And you should watch your mouth too. After all, you're my prisoner now."

"Oh, is that so..." The soldier chuckled quietly. "You're just a kid speaking big words. On your files at DWMA, it was written that you too was once a prisoner. Is that so?"

Kid's eyes widened. _So that was on my files... _he thought, trembling violently, taking a step back. He tried once again to hide his fear, but dark thoughts clouded his mind and he couldn't. "You... You shut up. I did nothing... nothing wrong when that happened. You on the other hand deserve what you get. You-"

"What's wrong? You sound _scared_. I'm here tied up, my crotch on fire, and yet I'm not scared in the slightest."

"No..." _It's a game... _Kid tried to convince himself. _It's a game in my mind... He's playing with my emotions. That's all. That's it... _"I'm..." For some reason, who couldn't get his words out. "I... I'm... not... I'm..."

"What's wrong? Cat caught your tongue?"

"..." There was nothing for him to say. Nothing for him to do. "Burn." Kid said. He looked behind the soldier, and in the darkness was a vulture with those beady eyes. It squawked, and Kid couldn't move.

"Hm?" the soldier raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?"

A tiny whimper came from the wide-eyed reaper. Slowly, Kid turned around and sat back down in his bed, looking down at his hands.

"What? Is that it?" The soldier asked with a huge grin. "Tired, shinigami?"

Kid ignored the man and leaned his back up against a tree. He refused to close his eyes. All he would see when he blinked was sepia. Sepia, or the church he was held in. The soldier didn't speak, but chuckled to himself.

That was a long night for the young death god.

People can forge their words into your brain, and you can fight it... depending on the words. What hurts the most is what they plan to say. They'll needle their way into your cloth, threading every letter in deep stitching. Let it be thick and precise, or loose and unorganized. Either way, the needle makes you bleed, and your blood will soak that rag of your unsteady mind.


	35. Chapter 35 Too fast to react

In the morning, Liz was the first to wake up. Immediately she noticed the mask was off the sleeping soldier and Kid was awake and sitting up against the tree by his bed, his eyes open and irritated.

"What's wrong?" She asked, getting her weary meister's attention. "Did you not sleep last night?" The fire had burnt out by this time in the sunrise of the early morning.

"Nope." Kid answered quietly, yawning and stretching his heavy limbs. "I didn't sleep at all. The soldier woke up and I had a small chat with him." He avoided eye contact with Liz, but she spotted the glassiness in his eyes and new it hurt for him to speak of it.

"Don't tell me he hurt you." Liz scooted over next to Kid, her bed being right next to his. She placed a hand on Kid's shoulder, and he swatted it away. This hurt Liz's feelings. "Kid... Why... He couldn't have hit you or anything since he's tied up. What did he say?"

"Nothing." Liz tried to get Kid to look at her. She even grabbed his chin and tried forcing his eyes on her, but he fought it each time and won, keeping his gaze on the ground. "He... He said some things. It's not a big deal."

"But you're clearly effected." Liz furrowed her brows, sitting up on her knees. "Come on, Kid. If it's not a big deal, you wouldn't have been awake all night."

"I'd have nightmares otherwise. It's not like I would have slept the entire night, anyways."

"I don't care if you only get half a night's rest. You need to sleep."

"No I don't. I can last multiple nights without taking a break. I've done that before and I can do it again."

"Oh really? You're really just going to shrug it off like some kind of_ man_?" Liz was thoroughly angered now. Her meister wasn't listening and was acting stupid. "Why don't I stay up with you all night, huh? Why don't we all?"

"You guys need your rest..." Kid knew he sounded hypocritical when he said that, but he hadn't finished explaining quite yet. "I'm a god, and I can last longer in worse conditions than a human. You guys, which are humans, can't last as long and we can't _all _be sleep deprived if we want to accomplish anything."

Liz wrapped her arms around Kid. "Get some rest." she whispered in his ear. "Maybe you'll feel better."

"Maybe." Kid admitted, but persisted in his argument. "The sun is up, though, and I can't sleep with so much light. So not today. I'll try to sleep tonight."

Liz sighed. At least he said he would _try_.

They got up and soon everyone was awake. Everyone but the soldier.

"He's not dead, is he?" Blackstar asked.

"No." Kid answered. "I don't think so."

"He's got a pulse." Maka stated, her hand up against the man's neck, feeling for a heartbeat and getting one. She removed her hand and walked over to Soul. "We'll deal with him when he's awake."

Blackstar sighed. "What are we going to do today?" His arms were crossed over his chest and he had an eyebrow raised. "Any ideas?"

"Yeah!" Patty skipped up to Blackstar and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I wanna climb a tree!"

"Okay." Keira nodded to the younger blonde. "In that case, go climb a tree."

Akiri smiled at the younger kids around her. She was the oldest, after all. Maybe Liz was around her age... Oh well. "Keira, are you assigning jobs today?"

"I don't see why not." Keira spoke in monotone. "Patty and Blackstar can guard the camp. Maka and Soul, why don't you two go with Akiri over to the river and fish. Dinya, Alyssa, you girls can find something useful. Make sure to walk along the river so you can find your way back."

"What if we don't find anything?" Dinya asked.

"Then keep looking." Akiri answered. "Go the other way or something."

"Fine." Alyssa laughed deep in her throat. "That's doable."

Keira continued. "Liz, Death the Kid, you and I can tend to the camp."

"Alright." Liz agreed.

Amber stood there with a What-the-hell look on her face. "What about me?!"

"I almost forgot about you." Keira nearly smiled, but at the last moment she changed her mind on doing so. "You can go, with Soul and the others, fishing."

"Okay." Amber smiled. "At least I know what I'm doing, now."

Everyone got to their work.

Amber, Soul, Maka, and Akiri were having trouble finding anything in the river.

"There's no fish!" Akiri exclaimed in frustration, kicking at the water around her.

"Come on, don't startle the fish." Maka snapped. Her arms were in the water trying to catch anything that may or may not swim by.

"What fish?" Soul asked, unamused.

"There is no fish." Amber said gravely. A depressed look on her face and she sunk into the water mumbling "Fish don't exist."

Blackstar and Patty did as instructed and were up high in tree branches, climbing around and looking out into the forest below to make sure nothing dangerous was nearby.

"It's been a while since we've been together alone." Blackstar commented. He was about twenty feet to Patty's right. "I've missed you."

"Same here." Patty nodded enthusiastically. "I like being with you. It's so fun!"

"Yup." Blackstar smiled. Even though he wasn't looking at Patty, he knew she was smiling too.

Liz and Keira tended to the fire-pit, taking out burnt sticks to give room for new ones they gathered nearby. They also re-fluffed the beds. As they did this, Kid kept a close eye on the half-conscious soldier. His eyes were still reddened from the sleepless night.

"Damn it." Kid sighed, out of the blue. "This bastard got more sleep than I did."

"At least you can still reproduce." Liz chuckled. Even though she laughed on the outside, her heart truly ached for Kid.

"True." Keira approved of Liz's comment. She thought _Liz isn't that bad of a girl. She's kind of girly, but she's sweet and loving. She seems to be strong too. Perhaps she's a good source in this battle. _Keira's growing view on the death god was shifting constantly. _Let's see here... He ripped off the bottom section of his pant legs because they were asymmetrical. Last night he had a sadistic look on his face. He's clearly suffering some sort of inner turmoil. He's strong, being Death God, but there's a weakness to him I still haven't pinpointed. Hm... What an enigmatic being._

Kid looked back at the girls, a small smile on his face mixed with weariness. He yawned and turned back to the soldier. The man was clearly awake, and wore a hard grimace. "What's wrong?" Kid mused. "A little hot, Sir?"

Keira and Liz turned away, a growing fear in their minds. Liz feared for Kid's sanity. Keira felt sorry for the soldier. Even though she hated the unnamed man's guts, she couldn't help but sympathize for the pain he had and may receive.

The soldier smirked. "You may call me by my name of authority, Officer Manchester."

"You expect me to address you with respect?" Kid laughed. "What a joke!"

"Damn you, you insane low-life." Officer Manchester grinned. "Such petty words! And you're supposed to be a god! Grow up, Kid."

"Petty." It was Kid's turn to spit. But no, he didn't. That would be dirty, and he didn't feel like it. "Blackstar had mentioned you rambling about gaining power and such by capturing me and bringing me back to your buddies."

"Is that so... No matter what you say about me, I'm willing to accept what I've come down to. You're the one who is too prideful to even see what ground you're standing on-"

"Says the person who's tied to a tree."

"Says the god who was taken down by a simple sentence last night. I didn't even say anything specific, you fool."

Kid momentarily bit his bottom lip. His brows furrowed in anger and he snapped "I'm no fool. I'm the one who took your weapon from you. I know where it is and I'd gladly give you the shock of a life time."

"Oh~ Is that so? You're willing to hurt me because I hurt your _feelings_?"

"Enough!" Liz bolted up from the ground as Kid's temper had ultimately reached its limit. She held back the shinigami, restraining her meister as best she could with her arms hooked under his and holding him up.

"Liz!" Kid gasped, wondering if struggling to break free was a good choice. He knew he had lost his cool, and that it made his look like a jerk and a dumbass. He gave up struggling for a brief period of time.

"_Liz_~" Manchester cooed. "What a pretty name, by the way. Liz, is your friend here acting ridiculous? Or is that all in the little tough-guy act he has going on?"

Liz didn't reply, which sent shivers down Kid's spine. He was still under his weapon's control at this time.

"Oh ha ha!" Manchester pushed his luck. "Poor little reaper can't even break away from a girl. What? Do you hold her in high regard? You're willing to listen to her. Poor girl, she has to deal with your pathetic actions every day. I feel bad for her. You really are weak-minded, boy. Have I not mentioned that I've interacted with your father? What a sorry excuse Lord Death is."

"Shut up." Kid ground his teeth in anger.

"He was so sorrowful when he found out we were searching for you. The look on his unmasked face is so sad and pathetic. He doesn't look a bit like you. Why is that? Oh, you've been rendered speechless. May I continue? I guess I'll go ahead. He fought back at first. After Death City was destroyed, he could move about as he pleased and we took him to our giant facility. At first he injured a few men, but once we had him in restraints, it was so fun to fool around with his 'godliness'. He really does have a huge soul like you, Kid. In time we'll harvest it, and grow even more powerful."

"What did you do to my father?!" Kid growled murderously, still locked in Liz's grasp.

"Once we take you, you'll know just that. It was depressing really, yet amusing seeing your father beg like that. Weak! But it is how it is. Like father, like son."

"Die!" Kid lunged forward, his cold hands wrapping around Manchester's neck. Kid's eyes were wide with hatred and he blinked back tears, a knot in his throat and a twisting in his stomach. Their was an anxiousness in his voice that made Liz and Keira tremble as they watched. "You bastard!"

Manchester laughed, the slender fingers squeezing tight, but not tight enough. "You're so upset you can't even strangle me! Truly pathetic, little boy."

"Kid!" Liz smacked Kid upside the head, and her meister let go of the man. "You've got to calm down."

"Liz?" Kid didn't turn to her, he still stared into the eyes of the soldier. "Why did you do that? Interrupting my judgment?"

"It's like your insane!" Liz was crying now. "You're not in the book of Eibon anymore! You have no excuse this time!"

That stopped the young reaper instantly. His body froze. He looked away from the soldier, who's smirk now haunted him. Slowly, Kid took a few steps away from the bunch. And before they could even react, he disappeared into forest. Liz didn't even have time to speak, none the less catch up.

Meanwhile, Dinya and Alyssa had walked off far along the river. They had joked around all day and played.

The sun shined brightly in the afternoon light and the heat burned. Alyssa and Dinya still hadn't found anything useful. They came to a large opening that lead into beautiful trees. It was below ground, surrounded by dry dirt mountains. In the middle of the opening was a long, round lake the river lead into. Rimming the lake were tall trees and plants. A few prehistoric flying insects flew around the sky.

And dead in front of them were five soldiers. One of them holding a large harpoon-like weapon.

"Ag!" the soldier holding the harpoon startled upon seeing the shocked girls and before his partners or the girls could react, the harpoon was aimed and shot.

Time seemed to slow as the harpoon speared straight through Alyssa's abdomen. The little blonde coughed up blood and Dinya screamed in terror.

The back of the harpoon opened to reveal a four-hooked end that spread apart. Suddenly the end was pulled back to the soldier, and the four, hooked blades ripped Alyssa apart. From her waist, her top half was literally separated from her bottom. Blood reddened the water and Alyssa's two halves fell into the water, guts floating with intestines and other organs that emptied from her mutilated body

"Alyssa!" Dinya shrieked, too shocked to move. All she could do was scream. Her legs gave out and she fell by her dead friend's side. Blood soaked her own clothes.

The soldiers stood there, confused.

Blackstar and Patty, from the trees, heard the blood-curdling scream and were down and running to the source. Amber, Akiri, Maka, and Soul heard it too, and ran through the waters towards the cry. Despite their post, Liz and Keira ran as fast as they could. Kid, who was sobbing in the woods, heard it as well. For a moment, he didn't do anything. But then his instincts kicked in. He dried his tears, and worked his way through the darkened woods, following the cries that echoed in the sky.

Maka and her group were the first to arrive. On seeing Alyssa's split body and cuts, and the water around her red, Akiri threw up in her mouth and swallowed. Amber fainted, and Akiri held her, burying her nose in the younger girl's shoulder to keep away the scent of blood.

Maka felt a personal sense of loss, and Soul transformed into a weapon the minute she spoke his name.

Blackstar and Patty arrived right after with Keira and Liz. They too were sickened by the sight. Keira managed to stand it, though. Liz ran with Patty, and Patricia transformed into a gun and landed in her sister's hands. Keira grasped her machete and so did Akiri. Amber woke up, and picked her double swords out of the water, holding them tightly.

Kid was last to arrive, still on dry land. Seeing the multiple soldiers and his friends all ready to fight, he was worried and rushed over to the girls, who were now both in his hands as pistols. He glanced down at the traumatized Dinya, who still had her machine gun with her, and Alyssa, who's golf club apparently didn't come in handy. He didn't get the same sick feeling as the others. No. He felt a stronger emotion. This was another casualty due to the IHK. This was another lost soul he, as shinigami, is responsible of. He would do his duty as shinigami, the god of this world, and wait until after the judgment was accomplished to think about his lost friend and mourn. Those personal feelings can wait. Even though he barely knew Alyssa, people he met could easily wedge their way into his heart. Maybe he's too loving a grim reaper. After all, his friends are simple mortals. And he's the one who can take the hardest blows...

"Look what we have here!" One of the soldiers pointed at Kid with a metal rod. "It's our lucky day! We get a promotion!"

The soldier with the re-readied harpoon laughed beneath his bird mask and called out "Why don't you come over here nice and polite, little shinigami? If you don't, we might have to blast your friends to bits."

Blackstar cracked his knuckled, ready to fight.

Liz felt Kid's heartbeat and smiled. It was calm and focused. _Back to normal, I see._ she thought to herself.

Soul was grimacing in his scythe form. "Do good, Maka."

"Of course." Maka assured her weapon. She turned to Kid and asked "How do you judge this,_ Death the Kid_?"

Kid didn't laugh. He didn't smile. He glared at the soldiers in front of them. They were armed with more than those rods. They had deadly weapons they were hiding behind their backs. "As the Grim Reaper, God of Death," Kid answered, over with what happened earlier and only thinking about the murderous men he was facing. He spoke to the soldiers "I judge you all. Prepare to face the wrath of the Grim Reaper."

Keira smiled inside. She just gained a new respect for the young god of death.


	36. Chapter 36 Fighting for a lost friend

"Let's do this!" Blackstar shouted. Even though he was weaponless, that didn't matter now. He was too angry to care, and to strong to worry. He charged ahead as the soldier aimed the harpoon to him.

"Blackstar!" Maka screamed, seeing her friend's careless actions. "He's going to-"

"Duck." Kid instructed them. They all knelt down in the water without asking anything.

"But Blackstar-" Maka pressed on, but Kid stopped her.

"Don't worry." Kid assured with a small grin. "Leave the master to his work."

Blackstar wasn't far from the soldier when the harpoon was shot. Even so, the ninja had no fear. "The mighty Blackstar is here!"

The minute the harpoon was shot, Blackstar jumped. Using something unintentionally of physics and measurement, along with perfect timing, Blackstar somehow hopped onto the moving wire that attached the harpoon to the barrel. In barely a second, he was in front of the shocked man, and he landed a kick against the side of the mask, avoiding the long white beak in a spinning kick. The guard was on the ground as fast as that happened, and Blackstar kicked away the harpoon gun so the guard wouldn't be able to rewind the harpoon. Blackstar wasted no time dealing with this soldier. The armor of course, he couldn't break through, but he could dent it so that in a way, he was penetrating the man behind the shield. After a swift punch to the breastplate, Blackstar flipped off the man.

"You wanna do something about this?" Amber asked, her hands shaking with adrenaline. She turned to Kid and asked "What should we do?"

"Fight." Kid answered. "The man taken down had the harpoon, so for that, we can go ahead and attack."

Maka was the first up and charging at the soldiers.

One of the soldiers, while Blackstar's back was turned, shocked the ninja. Blackstar let out a small cry and turned around, jumping back to avoid contact with the rod.

The soldiers all turned their attention on girl and the giant Scythe she was carrying with such ease. Maka yelled as she swung the blade. These soldiers were better trained than she thought and acted fast, jumping over the blade. One soldier, though, met his unfortunate end when the scythe's end of the blade sliced through the flesh of his abdomen. He had to hold his hand on the wound to keep his guts from falling out, and soon he bleed to death.

Now the men were on Maka! One shocked her in the back, and caused her body to spasm with electricity, which sent her to the river floor. She coughed, picking up Soul and using him to keep the electric rods away from her as long as she needed to recover.

"Why you!" Akiri ran up to the soldiers. She liked Maka more than the rest of them because the younger blonde was kind and smart. She could relate to her. Usually Akiri wasn't much of a fighter and tried to avoid killing people since this all had happened, of course. But now wasn't the time to be picky with her conscience.

Taking her machete, the Japanese brunette hit a rod pointed at Maka and got the soldier's attention. She rammed forward, machete pointed out, and scratched the chest armor. "Why won't it go in?!" She bit back screaming her words and instead of pushing on, she spun around and in a swipe, sliced the man's armor in such a way that it cut through his left forearm guard and gave him a nasty slice there. She then felt a jolt of electricity run up and down her spine after something cold went up against her neck, and everything went black.

Keira walked over calmly. When some soldiers tried to poke her with their rods, she swatted them away with her machete and picked up Akiri and put her in a sitting position as Blackstar distracted the men. She pulled Akiri and the Japanese girl's machete over by Dinya, who still refused to move. "At least you won't drown." Keira shrugged, leaning Akiri's unconscious body up against the still Dinya.

Maka was up fast, but something was wrong. She was very tired, far faster and more than usual. Suddenly, her arms gave out, and Soul was in human form. He shielded his meister from another rod, and pushed her up to where Akiri and Dinya were. Maka sat down, arms unable to move.

"What happened?" Maka asked, panic in her voice. "I need to fight! Why am I so... tired?"

"I don't know." Soul pushed her pigtails away from her neck and noticed that one of the rods had poked through her soft skin. Not deep, but she was still bleeding. "Hm..." He thought for a moment, and then it hit him.

Soul turned to Blackstar and shouted "Have any of the rods poked through you?!"

"Huh?!" Blackstar cocked his head and rushed over to Soul, leaving Amber, Kid, and Keira to fight. "What's wrong?!" Blackstar looked down at Maka, who had the tiniest of holes in her neck.

"I think those rods aren't just used for electricity. Maka's super tired and can barely move."

"I wasn't stabbed by one." Blackstar made a low humming in his throat. Even though he hadn't been stabbed, this was very interesting indeed...

All the guards but the dead one were up once more and fighting even harder. Amber dodged a few swipes of those damned rods and in a stroke of luck, managed to slice the man in front of her across the throat... Sadly, she had little time to move out of the way, and blood coated her above her waist and all over her face in an instant, having sliced some major veins and nearly decapitating the guy. She was disgusted, and somewhat shocked. Some of the blood had gotten in her mouth, and she wanted to throw up. Another sad bit to this little victory, was that the blood literally coated her face like her head was cake and the blood was frosting. She couldn't open her eyes because of it. Not that she herself had gone blind, but if she dared to open her eyes for more than a second, she might as well be.

Amber stumbled backwards, and Soul caught her as she fell. He too, was disgusted by all the blood, and placed her in Akiri's lap.

Maka wearily turned to Amber and whispered "Are you okay? You can't fight either?"

"Well, there's no time for me to wash my face..." Amber spat some of the man's blood out of her mouth and went limp. There was no point in using her energy now. "Also, I'm kind of blind with all this blood everywhere."

"I see." Maka was too tired now. Leaning her head back against Dinya, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Keira and Kid were patient in their fighting. Three left. Not too bad. "If Blackstar would get over here, things would end faster." Keira said, not for amusement, but likely as a fact.

"Oh, you're making jokes!" a soldier snapped. "Two of our men are dead now. It appears we've underestimated you children."

"But that doesn't mean we'll overestimate you." another soldier added. "You may want to avoid another casualty by coming with us, shinigami."

"Oh!" Patty giggled in her weapon form. "A casualty from your team, or ours?!"

"Patty!" Liz whined "Don't you know when to joke? This is no time to mess around!"

"Oh, but I wanna have fun!" Patty complained.

"Quiet. Both of you." The girls listened to their meister and his firm tone of voice.

"Having conversations now, are we?" This soldier sounded feminine. Perhaps there were women soldiers as well.

The soldiers spoke amongst themselves in a brief conversation. Keira sighed. "Are they serious?" she whispered to Death the Kid sharply.

"I don't know." he whispered back. "But it really is getting on my nerves."

Just then, one of the soldiers lashed out a rod to Keira, and she reacted quickly by once again blocking the rod. Kid shot at that soldier, the soul wavelength jolting the man back by a foot or two. The armor was a real problem!

Keira and Kid were back in action.

"You get the shinigami." a soldier man instructed the female soldier.

"Oh, so you admit I'm the most well trained of us." she snickered playfully.

"Not in your dreams." the man replied. "Only because-"

"Enough of this nonsense." Kid snapped, shooting the two men. His soul wavelength had little effect. Meaning the shots _only_ propelled them back slightly. It's like the armor is made to absorb the impact.

Yet again, the IHK knew they would be up against weapons and meisters from around the world. But how did they create such armor?

"Oh! Now you're talking!" The woman was shot by four of Kid's blasts, but stood her ground with almost no effect. Kid furrowed his eyebrows, trying to concentrate and pinpoint a weak spot in this woman's form.

Keira had to fight two men. Not that it was a big problem... at least, not that it _was_ a big problem. At first things were going well for her, having scratched the mens' armor a few times. But soon, she was at a disadvantage.

She was jumped on, her machete useless against the strong shields. Kid saw this, and shot at the men, but was preoccupied. Keira was held underwater, holding her breath. If drowning wasn't going to kill her, taking in this foul water might.

Blackstar noticed her struggles, and in a flash was over there. In the heat of the moment, he made one big mistake.

He didn't watch out for the rod pointed up at him, he simply bolted over there and flung one of the soldiers off Keira and the girl managed to lift her face above water, the other man still on her.

As Blackstar viewed her escape, the man he had pushed away came up behind him and with a quick stab in the back above his hip, and a very painful shock, Blackstar was down from surprise, and his weakening limbs. He crawled half the distance to Soul, and Soul pulled him along over the others defeated. Blackstar felt shame, for once in his life. "How could I have been taken down so easily?" he asked Soul.

Soul shrugged. "You let your guard down, I guess." Seeing Blackstar's upset expression, he cheered up his best friend by adding "Usually you don't need to worry about letting your guard down, though. It's that you weren't prepared."

"Yeah!" Blackstar yawned after shouted. He too, closed his eyes. "Usually the mighty Blackstar is too good for this~"

Kid dodged all the woman's attacks. He suddenly regretted not having joined the fight sooner, but he had been busy observing how things were going on. He observed the armor's magnificent shielding, and how well the soldiers could move in it. Attacks they used often, which seemed to be limited, and etc.

"Oh please!" The woman remained unaffected by Kid's shots. "The little reaper can't do any damage?" she spoke like she was talking to a baby.

Kid glowered at that comment. "If I didn't know better, with all this teasing and taunting, I might mistake you as a five year old."

"Oh~ Is poor little shinigami mad at me? Is he frustrated?"

Kid landed a kick to the armor's side. This had little effect as well. He looked over to his side and realized Keira was down. A hole in her cheek.

Soul rushed over to Keira, who was laying face-down. He tried pulling her away, but couldn't dodge a blow to the back, and he too, was in the water. His shoulder was stabbed, and he faded to sleep.

"Soul!" Kid shouted. It was then that he realized he was the only one still awake. Of course, Liz and Patty were there. But he didn't want to risk them out of weapon form. Even if they were useless in this situation, that was better than being alone. Kid knew that too well to let it happen.

Three against one and two-thirds. "Well isn't this great?!" The woman sounded so enthusiastic is sickened Kid to the core. At least only one of his friends was dead. Soul and Keira were asleep with their heads above water. At least Kid thought they were _asleep_.

Kid was hit with that helpless sensation inside, and grew dizzy. Not the first time he felt helpless. Probably not the last. He stopped fighting, and stood there facing the three soldiers.

"You give in?" one man asked, all three of them raising their rods up at him.

Kid took in a deep breath of air and shook his head. He wasn't giving up. Not in a million years would he give into this. "Why would I?" He allowed a fake smirk to cross over his face. At least that would show he hadn't given up on himself. "By the way," he asked "Why are all my friends asleep?"

The soldiers shrugged and one man answered "In the tops of our rods, barely visible, are needle tips. We plunge a rod into someone, and they fall asleep like a flame losing oxygen. This is useful when it comes to taking refusing victims."

"What do you do with the victims?" Kid continued to question. He was buying time. He didn't know what for, but at least he'd get information and also time to think of a plan to escape and defeat these bastards.

"Hm..." another man sighed. "I don't know the half of it, but I do know they are used as slaves and other things too."

"Slaves of what?"

"Work, sex, etc. Anything the higher authorities want."

"Higher authorities?"

"The people in charge."

"Oh." Kid nodded. A sudden fear for Tsubaki entering his mind. "And where do you take these captured victims?"

"Don't answer!" The woman shouted at the two men. She turned to Kid, her mask's beak nearly touching the reaper's nose. Kid took a few steps back in discomfort. "I know what you're doing, little shinigami. You're planning and helping people by discovering the location of where we take the most of them. I'm sure you'd like to know where your father is, too."

"Why yes I do." Kid stated matter-of-fact-ly. Of course he wanted to know where his father is! The woman soldier wasn't the slightest bit off. "If you plan on capturing me, why not tell me? Besides, that sleep serum most likely won't effect my body. After all, I am a god."

"We have electricity." The woman stepped forward and the side of the end of the rod was placed on the right side of Kid's neck.

Kid trembled lightly and, keeping his cool, carefully pushed the rod away and said "I doubt the electricity will work. If you wanted it to, it may need to be set at a higher level."

"We have that option. There's a switch right here." one of the men pointed out this switch on the rod that clearly showed different levels of shock like how you would see a channel setting on an old radio tuner.

"How does that work?" Kid asked, averting the eyes of the woman. He walked over slowly to the stupid man and was about to see how the rod works when the woman soldier grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him over to her. He felt his back press against the cold armor, and wondered how much longer he could play things out. "I'm sorry. Did I bother you?"

"A bit." The woman answered.

Kid was getting sick of that mask. He still held Liz and Patty in his hands. They were silent as they watched their friends fall asleep one by one, and they were silent as their meister was cornered in the middle of the three soldiers. The woman held up the rod back to Kid's neck and he knew that beneath that mask, she was smiling.

She then grabbed him by his hair and, with the point of the rod, she penetrated his left shoulder. Only with Kid did she push in really deep.

Kid held back a whimper and groaned in pain. The woman didn't remove the rod. Instead she pushed it in dangerously deep, even for him. It was very painful, but he wasn't sure how to fight it.

Might as well risk something once or twice.

Kid held Liz and Patty up, and spot the men and their weak spots. Their necks, of course. The only parts of them that weren't shielded properly.

He shot, putting as much soul into it as possible. It hit both the men dead in the neck, and they tumbled backwards. At first Kid couldn't tell if they were dead. He could tell the were bleeding. Bleeding bad.

"Serves you right." He mumbled. Soon he could no longer sense their souls. _And some people say there are no perks to two weapons. _Kid smiled to himself at this thought.

The woman growled behind him and he could feel the vibration of her flicking the switch to the maximum setting.

"Um..." Kid started, unsure of how to get out of this mess. Maybe he should just... take a run for it. No. All he needs to do is get out of this woman's grasp. Then he can shoot her with extra-powerful bullets like he did with the other two in the neck and pull his friends to dry land. But that run, even if he managed, would be an agonizing one considering how deep the rod is in his shoulder. "Is that... flicking of the switch really necessary?"

"Hm? You scared, shinigami?"

"No." Kid answered to her mocking tone. "It's just... I'd rather not get shocked by how-many-vaults. In fact, I'd rather not have this rod in my shoulder, thank you very much."

"You don't always get what you want." The woman pressed down on the button that triggers the electrical flow of electricity, hence the button that causes the _shocking_ results.

At first, Kid felt nothing. And then the electricity traveled through his body in a giant burst that not only startled him half to death, but was so painful he couldn't keep from crying out in pure suffering. He could feel his heart beat in his chest, which wasn't a surprise. He fought the convulsions but lost to that, too. He was brought to his knees, sinking into the river.

The female soldier pulled the rod out roughly. Kid bleed from the shoulder and gripped Liz and Patty tightly. He wasn't going to lose. Not yet.

_Not now! Not when he was needed most!_

With what strength he had left, he swung around, facing the masked soldier. Two fires to make it symmetrical. He shot the woman in the neck.

She fell onto her back, blood squirting out of her neck wound.

Kid crawled up to her, on top of her. He was still holding Liz and Patty in one hand when he pulled the mask off the soldier.

The woman had dark brown eyes and blonde hair. She seemed out of place with the uniform and voice. What was cruel and taunting was so... _pretty_. She was at least in her late twenties, but beauty hadn't faded from her earlier years. Here dark eyes were her best features. She had some wrinkles, but nothing that stood out much.

She was dead, no doubt about it. Kid, sighing deeply, stood himself up. Liz and Patty got out of weapon form.

"Go back to camp and sleep." Liz instructed her injured meister. "Your wound will heal faster. Patty and I will pull the others up on shore."

"I can't leave you girls alone." Kid said, his voice shaking. _Damn it! _he cried out in his mind _This hurts!_

"You won't be able to do much, anyways." Liz pointed out. "Besides, someone needs to check up on our prisoner."

"That's right." Kid had almost forgotten about Manchester. "Promise me you'll be okay."

"I promise." Liz felt something press against her chest, which would soon enough lead her into a compulsive act. "Sleep. You need rest, anyways."

"Yes." Kid assured, stumbling through the water. "I'll see you later, than."

Liz and Patty worked on pulling their fallen friends to shore. They would wait until a few woke up, then they'd go to Kid. Amber wasn't actually asleep, but she still needed to wash her face off before opening her eyes to see where she was going.

Kid yawned, walking back. His head felt weird, and his shoulder stopped bleeding. He was really dizzy now, seeing double.

He noticed the soldier was awake. Manchester saw his bloody shoulder, and smirked.

"What happened with you?"

"We had a fight with some buddies of yours." Kid answered, wanting to throw up. He was truly sick to his stomach. Was it that sleep stuff? No... How could that be?

In anger and frustration, Kid picked up the rod that they took from Manchester in his right hand, for his left arm hurt to move. He tripped over to Manchester and stated "One of these was stabbed in my shoulder. And because they're with you..."

Kid stabbed the rod barely an inch from Manchester's neck, the end lodging itself into the tree. Manchester furrowed his brows in a grimace. Kid finished with "You do anything, I'll shove this rod down your throat."

Kid held in a cry. _Why the hell is it hurting this much?! _His thoughts buzzed with confusion and he got a headache.

Slowly, he lay down on his back on his bed, closing his tired eyes.

"That's it?!" Manchester yelled.

Kid didn't hear it. He was already asleep.


	37. Chapter 37 Attack of the Manchester!

_To his right was the dead body of Alyssa. To his left was Blackstar, sleeping. The room was black and empty and he lay on the ground with the bodies. Not a sound could be heard. Kid stood up, and it was as if he was walking on the moon. There was a lack of gravity. Rubbing his eyes, when he removed his hands, he could see blood was rubbed on his pale skin. His eyes were bleeding? It seemed so. _

_He turned away and walked off from the bodies, into nothingness. He couldn't hear his own footsteps._

_A voice called him to keep heading into the nothingness. It was in a soothing tone of a female. She was calling "Come here! Come here!" She sounded young, too. Kid couldn't speak, he simply followed blindly. What that voice lead him to was a mirror at the end of a long narrow hallway. He walked up to that mirror, and suddenly he found himself in literal blackness, seeming to float with the mirror in front of him._

_Kid stared into the mirror and was startled by his eyes. His eyes were indeed bleeding out like tears. And the coloring had changed too. Instead of the two rings of gold, his eyes were a dark, hazel green. Something about that color seemed welcoming. Magical, in a way. Not like his old eyes 'magical', but... enchanting. _

_The voiced stopped calling out, and his eyes were their normal color again. That's when behind him as he watched in the mirror, Blackstar approached him. His friend stood, staring at Kid's eyes through the mirror. Blackstar's hands wrapped around Kid's throat and the shinigami couldn't move. Blackstar's eyes were empty darkness like the room. Kid couldn't breath and his face was turning a shade of blue._

_A low groan that sounded like 'the Grudge' came from the floor. Kid glanced down without moving his head and saw that the top half of Alyssa, her eyes empty as well and blood bubbling out of her mouth, was climbing up his leg, dragging intestines out behind her along the 'floor'._

_Then Blackstar dug his fingernails into Kid's throat, the reaper coughed up blood, Alyssa bit down on his thigh and tore his flesh. Then everything went black._

Kid woke up from the dream, and a mouth was cupped over his mouth. He struggled, and his heart pounded in his chest. His hands flailed wildly and grasped at the armored hand holding his mouth, pushing away.

When Kid saw who it was, he nearly screamed.

Manchester had escaped. The vines were burnt through, or pulled. Kid couldn't tell the difference. The rod was no longer lodged in the tree. How could he have reached it?!

"Look what we have here." Manchester laughed quietly. "You're gonna be real quiet now. You're gonna come with me like a good child."

"Mph!" Kid couldn't fight past the metal plated hand on his mouth. His eyes went wide with a mixture of fear and adrenaline.

"Fight all you want." Manchester smirked. "You've only been asleep for fifteen-some minutes. Your pals aren't around yet. It might take them a while, too."

In Manchester's free hand, he held the metal rod, flicking on the voltage to medium.

He pressed the rod against Kid's aching shoulder and pushed down on the 'on' button.

Vaults of electricity plagued Kid's body and he fought back even harder, managing to push himself away completely in spite of the mild spasms his limbs suffered.

Panting, Kid got up to his knees and stood on his shaky feet. The minute he stood, his vision flashed red and he was light-headed. Manchester took Kid's dizziness to an advantage and football-rammed Kid up against a tree.

Kid coughed. That hurt pretty bad, too. Manchester got off of Kid, one hand pressed against the reaper's chest to hold him in place. The soldier raised the metal rod, and in a jagged motion, forced the end through Kid's left shoulder, right below the color bone.

Kid cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes shut and coughing. He sunk to the ground.

"That enough for you?" Manchester pressed down on the 'on' button again, the rod still inside of the reaper, and electrocuted the shinigami once more. Now the reaper was laying down, having difficulty moving his body. Manchester ripped out the rod roughly, throwing it a few feet back, and pulled Kid up by his hair. Death the Kid looked at him, tears running down his cheeks and his teeth pressed together like his lips. "Are you ready to come along nicely?"

Weakly, Kid nodded, getting up on all fours and crawling away from the tree. Manchester got up and exhaled, proud of this accomplishment.

The idiot was too absorbed in what he had done to notice where Kid was crawling to. The young shinigami gingerly picked up the rod in his right hand, his left arm not being able to move well.

The distracted Manchester walked over to Kid and knelt down by the shinigami to see another look at his tearful face. "What do we have here?" he asked, leaning in to get a better view. "And you call yourself a-"

In such a swift movement, Kid swiped his arm, the rod pointed out, and penetrated the soldier's neck. It didn't rip through. Not yet anyway.

Manchester couldn't comprehend what had just happened, but he knew he was a goner the moment Kid's murderous glare met his.

Kid, using what strength he could muster, tore through Manchester's throat and veins, blood squirting out in a most unpleasant manner. Kid could care less about the blood. After all, most of the blood on his own body was his. Manchester's head was half-decapitated once Kid had dropped the rod, exhausted.

He gripped his shoulder, grimacing. His last minute efforts may have been successful, but he was still injured.

Liz and Patty helped Amber wash off, and the girls had pulled everyone to shore. Finally some of them started waking up. Amber quickly ran and got Dinya, removing her from Alyssa's corpse.

Maka and Soul were up along with Blackstar. It appears for Keira and Akiri that on regular humans, the drugs last longer.

"Oh~" Maka asked sleepily "Where's Kid?"

"We sent him back to camp." Liz explained. "Someone needed to check on mister prisoner, and Kid got hurt, too."

"How?" Soul asked. "What happened to him?"

"He was stabbed in the shoulder." Patty answered for her sister, casually. "But we defeated the bad people, as you can see."

Blackstar and the others glanced over at the dead soldiers. Indeed they had defeated them!

The group made their way back to camp. Akiri was carried by Blackstar, and Keira was carried by Liz and Patty. Maka tried to help Dinya cope with the frightening loss, but Dinya just couldn't. Not yet, anyways. Not so soon...

Upon seeing blood splattered on the ground reaching camp, everyone exchanged worried glances and wasted no time on entering their 'fortress'.

Liz was shocked, seeing Manchester's dead body on the ground with his throat practically ripped out. Blackstar paled and set Akiri down on a clean bed. Some of the beds were covered with blood.

"Where's Kid?" Soul asked. No one answered.

Patty tugged on her sister's clothes and Liz laid Keira next to Akiri.

Maka noticed a frightening trail leading out of camp. Blood droplets and red, unsteady footprints dragged out from Manchester's bloodshed through the trees caught the pig-tailed blonde's attention. She followed the tracks without a word, the smell of all the blood filling her nostrils.

"Where are you going?" Liz asked, noticing Maka walk away.

"Follow me." Maka instructed, her guts twisting. "Two of you better stay here and watch the girls."

Blackstar and Soul stayed to keep an eye on Akiri, Keira, and Dinya, while Amber walked out with Liz, Patty, and Maka.

Where the tracks ended, Kid was sitting up against a tree facing out over the drop's edge that met at the river below. He stared blankly out, deep in though. His right hand over his mouth and his knees up against his chest, his left arm cradled in between.

He was covered in blood, and that was enough to set Liz off.

The older blonde knelt down by her meister, panic rising in her voice. "What did you do?" She noticed the new stab wound and her eyes widened with fear for her meister.

Kid's eyes met hers and he removed his hand from his mouth. There was blood in his palm and dripping down his lip.

"No talking today, huh?" Patty asked, looking down at her bloodied meister.

Kid shook his head.

"You killed him, didn't you?" Maka asked, furrowing her brows.

Kid nodded with his eyes closed. When they opened, Maka could see a tinge of remorse.

Liz asked "Can you stand?"

Kid shook his head. He felt so ill, and was so ill, that if he would stand, he'd likely throw up.

"Hm..." Patty smiled kindly "Do you want to be carried back?"

Kid thought about it for a moment, and then shook his head. He didn't want any more motion. The world was already spinning beneath his feet and he was starting to see double again.

"You want to stay here all night?" Maka walked over and knelt down, placing a hand on Kid's unwounded shoulder.

He nodded, gave a faint smile, and looked away, coughing up more blood into his hand.

"I think he'll be fine." Liz thought out loud. The girls took the short walk back over to the others. Blackstar and Soul were already working on removing all the blood. Keira and Akiri had awaken, and were hiding Manchester's corpse. Amber knelt down by the couple bloodied beds, and started pushing away the leaves.

"This is an issue." Amber sighed, lacking a smile. "This isn't good at all."

"How come?" Soul asked, turning to the black haired, blue eyed girl.

Liz and Patty helped start a fire while Maka aided once again the sorrowful Dinya.

"It's just... All this blood can attract predators." Amber informed. "Dinosaurs we'd have to worry about."

"That's why you said to leave Alyssa's corpse behind." Liz had an 'oh my!' moment and Amber nodded. She had instructed them to do that back when everyone was waking up.

"Yes. Chances are, hungry prehistoric fishes are munching on her flesh right now." Amber stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "Maybe we'll last tonight, but we need to move camp."

"I understand." Blackstar nodded, having listened to what she was saying. "It's plenty of work, but it'll do."

"Anything to keep up alive." Soul grinned. "At least in that case, we may find other people looking to solve this problem."

"That's the way of thinking!" Patty laughed. To Liz, her sister's laughter was a beautiful symphony. "We can go play and eat and dance and sing and have so much fun!"

Keira sighed, listening to Patty's laughter. It was... _nice_. But it didn't seem right for their situation.

Akiri hugged her machete after the body was hidden. No way would she lose her weapon now. So much time had passed, and yet so little since she last saw Death City or her father. "It's been a while." she spoke.

"What's on your mind?" Soul asked. The sun was setting, and Kid was probably watching it this very moment.

Akiri answered "Since I was last at Death City. Why don't we try to find a city or something, nice and alive?"

"Any city we find is probably taken over by now." They were all laying in bed as Liz added that bit of pessimism to the air.

"Doesn't matter." Akiri stated bluntly. They had all eaten, too. Liz brought Kid's food out to him, which consisted of blueberries and raspberries. "If anything is there, at least it'll give me some hope that the world isn't completely destroyed."

"It's not." Maka interrupted.

"How do you know?" Dinya asked in sobs. "Even now, _I_ still have hope... Let it be that Alyssa's death shows us that there are still people out there who believe there will be a future. Who believe there is a future and they'll be around to see it."

Keira got up from her bed, something calling her in her mind and speaking to her. "Hm..." silently, she walked out to where Kid was. He had eaten, luckily, and was also given boiled water (cooled, of course. Who drinks boiling water?).

Kid noticed Keira and the brunette sat down by the reaper. She could tell that the wounds were already healing just by looking at them._ It is amazing really, how fast he can hea_l. "Kid, what do you see in the night sky? Whisper it if you must. I'm just a bit curious."

Kid cocked an eyebrow. That question is very random, obviously, and he was quite confused. But he simply sighed and in an airy whisper he answered "I see the stars. I see the universe."

"Do you see symmetry?"

"... Not really. The stars are unorganized, and things are going on all over the place. There isn't much symmetry there."

"Do you see balance?"

"I see the possibility of balance." Kid answered, yawning. "I see what can be, and I see what is. It's not symmetrical, but in some ways there is perfect balance. Everything _is_... and so everything can be and cannot be. There are millions of possibilities I've thought of. The only symmetrical world is nothing... But that's not a good place to be, because if nothing exists, nothing can be and nothing is. But, if there is a universe of possibilities, where everything is and can be, that universe is perfectly balanced, because anything can be nothing while still being something. In this universe, everything can be. And so anything can _not _be. I know it sounds crazy and I'm ranting, and maybe you can't hit what I'm aiming at. But in a perfect world, there is perfect balance. When there is perfect balance, whatever it is balances itself. When something balances itself, it can be and it cannot be. It is and it isn't. Perfect balance exists, but... I'm starting to see things that... perfection is not perfect balance."

Although Keira hadn't known Kid long, she could tell by the look in his thoughtful eyes as he stared up at the stars that he had discovered something very deep in his soul. Maybe the death gods aren't just death. There's something more to it. No... There's way more to it. "Does that all matter in the end?" she asked with a sigh. At least she understood what he was saying. She saw what he was aiming at.

"In some ways, perhaps." Kid smiled softly, turning his head to face her. "I believe... it does if you want it to. I don't know what happens after we die, and how balance plays into it precisely. I do know that balance helps you while you're alive, though. That's what matters anyways. Don't worry about afterward, and enjoy yourself when you know you can. There is no definite answer... So far, I've been opening my eyes to more things. I feel like I'm beginning to understand more things as well... I'm not as worried about symmetry like I usually am, and I have to admit, it's barely been on my mind of late compared to how it had been."

"I think, therefor I am. That's what I got from your speech." Keira said quietly. "In a way, that logic applies to yours in a close fitting way. Like when you're doing nothing, you're still doing something."

"You could say that." Kid was pleased that someone understood what he barely could. He had explained things so terribly, while Keira put it simply. Not the most organized of explanations, but any deep thinker could get at it with ease. "So, how have things been?" he asked.

"You could say things have gone fine, considering this isn't the worst possible outcome from how things have gone for other people."

"Do you think... the others are still hopeful? That they are looking to the future?"

"Hm?"

"Well... I've killed quite a few people today, but my mind didn't start running until I killed Manchester. I... I don't feel like it was right... but I saw no other chance for me. I-"

"It's okay." Keira assured with a sigh. "If your life was in danger, what you did is justified. He was attacking you, wasn't he?"

Kid gave a slight nod.

"Then he could have killed you. When your mind is buzzing with uncertainty and different outcomes, you don't have much time to choose right or wrong, what to do, what not to do. Even if you hadn't meant to, you killed him when it seemed there was no other way. There really wasn't another way, was there?"

"At the time, not really." Kid answered. "I understand. I don't know why I would feel guilty about it... I know I was at a disadvantage this time and had to do what I was physically capable of."

"Ah..."

"Can you get Liz?" Kid laughed in his breath "I've been meaning to talk to her, but I was coughing up blood. This talk was nice. You're someone I can speak to."

"Same goes for me." Keira stood up, and before going to get Liz, she said "If you need to talk about something, I'm here to listen."

"Thank you."

At least he was alive. That night, he'd let Liz in on this discovery of his, and she was surprised without a doubt.

"Really!" Liz went all wide-eyed, kneeling down by her meister. "By the way, tomorrow, we're moving camp."

"I figured all that blood would attract something." Kid whispered. "Especially with all these deadly prehistoric predators. I wouldn't be surprised if we attracted some modern beasts as well."

"Will you be good to go?"

"Yes. I believe so. How's Dinya doing?"

"She's still not talking much... But, she has hope for the future."

"That's an unusual feeling to get after your best friend dies right in front of you."

"Yeah... You still love symmetry, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Kid sounded almost insulted and got up on his knees. "Who doesn't love symmetry? Symmetry is the most beautiful thing in the entire universe! Just because I said perfection isn't perfect balance doesn't mean symmetry isn't as well! You can be perfect without being symmetri- No! No asymmetrical being is perfect! I take it back! I take it back!"

"Kid, don't yell or you'll cough up blood again!"

"S-sorry."

Liz snickered to herself, clearly upsetting her meister even more. He seemed rattled himself, having said something that one could say is 'against his religion'. "I've been wanting to talk to you about something. Will you listen carefully?"

"Sure." Kid sat down on his bottom and said "Go on, Liz."

"Remember when we first met?"

"Hm... Yes. Every last bit."

"Do you think I've changed since then?"

"You have very much. And you've changed for the better, too. No more drugs, no more smoking. No more anything that hurt you. No more unhealthiness. Why?"

"Thank you. Just... Thank you."

"...I should be thanking you myself, Liz. You've done more for me than what you'd ever imagine."

"Ha!" Liz got a good laugh, there. "You're younger than me, Kid, and you had practically babysat Patty and I-"

"Doesn't matter." Kid stated firmly, staring Liz in the eyes. "I was alone until you girls came along. I had no partners, and I was glad to make you girls mine. You filled my mansion... Even if it's just the two of you, It's not empty anymore. All of my friends have helped me, in fact. Before you girls came around, I didn't even interact with most kids my age."

Liz was happy to hear that. "It's nice that we've done you good, as well." That gnawing sensation came back in her chest. If she didn't tell him now, she'd have to tomorrow, and have that sensation in her chest all night long. "I've been meaning to tell you..."

"What were you going to say?" Kid asked. He felt much better, but he also didn't feel like facing the others quite yet. He really just wanted to sleep.

"Never mind." Liz decided to let this slide another day because she could see how tired Kid was and didn't want to keep him up. She stood up and left without a word, leaving Kid's question unanswered.

She had an answer. _The answer_... How could she say it at this time?!

Everyone fell asleep. Even Kid who, luckily, didn't have any nightmares.

It's surprising how much can happen in one day. Sometimes you want to relax, sometimes you want to be active. But when you look back at it all, didn't everything go by so fast? And do you wish then to go back and take everything in? Live in the moment? Maybe even _be_ the moment?


	38. Chapter 38 Ginger-Boy-Metal

That morning, everyone was up and moving. They were on their feet, traveling in uncertainty along the dewy ground. The trees shielding them from the harsh sunlight that crept in through any openings in the foliage high above their heads.

Critters were especially buzzing today, scampering across the forest floor and flying amongst the trees. It was a beautiful sight to behold, as if Spring had come around once again.

"How pretty~" Patty goggled at all the sights and sounds wearing the usual bubbly, distracted look on her face. "I wish I could fly like the dragonflies."

"We've already spotted quite a few big ones." Liz sighed. Although the actual situation was bleak, that didn't stop Liz from feeling the life around her. "I hope you don't fly like them. That would be troublesome. You'd fly away from me, and I can't have that."

"If I have wings, you have wings." Patty giggled to her sister. "Lighten up. We can fly together."

"Come on, now." Maka turned back to the girls. "Let's enjoy this pretty day. It's been a while since I've seen how nice this can all be."

Blackstar nodded in agreement. "At least the sun is nice and bright."

Soul exhaled. It seemed life was starting over with all the dinosaurs and stuff. Luckily they hadn't run into any deadly predators for a while. Maybe things were finally coming to an end?

Of course not! If things were coming to an end, there would be no story to make of this!

Death the Kid walked quietly next to Amber, who wore a similar expression to Patty's. Keira was next to Soul, and Akiri and Dinya were next to Maka. Dinya had started to let go of it after Alyssa's demise. She was getting better, without a doubt, but still seemed so depressed.

Kid enjoyed the sights and sounds. He really did. It was just... so hard to relax with everything that had happened. Last night and the evening before, he relaxed plenty when staring up at the millions of stars visible that night. He could only relax after having been attacked and violently killing the attacker! It wasn't the best thing to rest on, but he made it through with ease. Surprising ease, for that matter.

Amber observed the world around her with such a gleeful concentration that it instantly caught Kid's eye. He liked that she was so in tune to this prehistoric age and that sooner or later, she would definitely come in handy for more important matters.

Kid also liked how Patty was happy, and carefree. He was usually cheered up by this sight, but these days he's seen it so often that her playfulness would need a boost or two before effecting him. Watching Maka up in front with Soul made him feel a bit empty. Sure Dinya and Keira were right behind her, but Maka and Soul were still with each other.

There's the feeling he's been missing._ Partnership_.

_Blackstar's missing his partner, but he has still found comfort in fooling around with Patty or chilling out like Soul... _Kid thought. Maka's been with Akiri a lot and Dinya. Maka's still talking with Soul and the pair seemed to be growing closer in a way Kid couldn't understand at that time. Even though they could act so distant... the two seemed... so _close_.

And that narrowed the loneliness down to four people. Kid, Liz, Amber, and Keira. They were the only ones who didn't constantly have a partner. Even if Liz had Patty, Patty wasn't one who would just sit around and talk like Liz. Patty's too hyper. Amber revolved from person to person, not really having a specific go-to but rather simply hanging about and waiting for the right time to pop in and be part of things. Keira was naturally trying to avoid gaining any strong relationships with the others, and things seemed to be working out for her. But there was something about the way Keira had asked Kid the other night those random questions, and something about the way she avoided certain people more often, that gave him the idea that she wasn't unfeeling and heartless. Keira was growing close to some of them, and tried especially to avoid those people.

And then there was Kid. He talked to others the least in the formed group. Sure, he chatted with Liz once in a while. Sometimes Keira. In fact, he had talked to Keira more than Liz in the past few days! It was nothing intentional. Liz had been with Patty very often and in some cases, tried to avoid others and be alone. Liz had also spent lots of time with Soul. The two got each other well, and could relate to some things. Things like being popular (because both of them are very attractive and cool) and music and etc. But they also shared some deeper feeling. Not feelings of love. But similarities such as being thrown out of a social group, in a way. Not wanting to end where they started off. They shared things like that, that made things easier to talk about with one another.

Kid could relate. Perhaps more than Soul. But whenever he tried to think of ways to do so, his mind flashed back to when he first met the Thompson sisters. The condition they were in. How much Liz seemed to dislike him. He couldn't compare. He _wouldn't_ dare. He also didn't want to hear the cliché _"I know how you feel"- "You don't know how I feel" _line.

He didn't even notice that he had been smiling at Maka and Soul's closeness. Liz noticed, and raised an eyebrow, snapping her meister out of whatever daze he was in.

"Kid!" the older blonde waved her hand in front of Kid's face and he startled back. Amber and Patty giggled as they watched him do this. "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh..." he sighed, still smiling. "I was just thinking about things."

"... Happy things?"

"You could say that. I guess so." he answered with a shrug.

Liz got back to walking. She smiled herself, looking back at everyone. They all seemed somewhat happy today.

As they walked along, the day grew very, very hot. Blackstar even took off his shirt because he was so hot. Soul decided to just wear his T-shirt, taking off his jacket.

"I'm too hot!" Maka complained, swiping sweat from her forehead. "If the boys weren't here, I'd take my shirt off."

"Why would you worry if we're here or not?" Soul smirked "There's nothing there to see, anyways."

"_Soul_!" she growled. "Maka-Chop!" Maka chopped Soul right on the head, and the two laughed loudly. Everyone did. Although Kid laughed less than the others for multiple reasons. The biggest being that his throat hurt from yesterday. Keira didn't laugh at all, because that's simply out of character for her.

Amber chuckled "_Oh_~ I know some people who'd be willing to take their shirts off in from of you."

"What about you?" Soul asked. "I'll take mine off if you take yours."

"Cut that out, Soul!" Maka put her weapon in a neck-lock and he stopped his jokes.

They had walked out into another more opened area of short grasslands painted with shimmering blades of green and brown.

A few flying prehistoric bird creatures flew in the distant sky. Some non-deadly prehistoric creatures roamed the distant grasslands as well. There were parts of the forest that ended and spread out for miles and miles like this one, and then there was such dense areas of forest that the forest floor was dark and filled with predators big and small, and life in general.

Akiri made some sort of crying noise when she looked ahead and pointed out her hand. By this point, everyone, even Keira, wasn't paying much attention to the things around them.

"What is it?" Dinya asked quietly.

Keira saw what Akiri was pointing at, and stepped forward a few steps to be next to the older Japanese girl. "I see."

Soul and Blackstar were up front in seconds, Liz and Patty right behind them. Maka joined Akiri, Keira, and Dinya. Kid and Amber walked over to one side, peeking out behind the others.

Dinya raised her machine gun. "Are you friends, or foes?"

The person dressed in armor immediately took off his helmet. He was around Amber's height, but a little taller. His hair was red, and he had ginger bangs that reached just past his eyebrows. He stepped up to the others, Dinya lowering her weapon. His eyes were a light hazel. Not the hazel Kid had seen in his dream, but a more yellowish of that sort. He was covered with reddish, brownish freckles.

The kid held out his armored hand, and dropped the helmet completely. "I'm one of you." He stated firmly. His voice sounded funny. Kind of deep, but nasally. His cheeks were roundish and he had a nice pudginess. Not fat, but not skinny either. He's a ginger. "I'm only wearing this armor to keep from their clutches."

"Makes sense." Liz exhaled in relief. "I thought you were coming to kill us or something. Are you alone?"

"... No." he answered..._ carefully_. "My friends are a bit further out into the grass. I'll grab them and bring them here, or I can take you all to them."

"Bring them here." Keira instructed, keeping her usual suspicion. "It's difficult to trust any humans in armor these days. No matter who they say they are."

"What's your name?" Patty asked with a giggle.

The ginger answered "I'm Samuel Ackart. Call me Sam." And with that, he was off to get his friends.

"What do you think about this?" Blackstar asked.

"Good." Dinya smiled softly. At least they'd be increasing their numbers.

"I'm good with it." Akiri agreed.

"I'm not sure yet." Keira spoke in monotone "If they become valuable players, I'm fine with it. But for now, I'm keeping on edge with this."

"I don't know." Maka admitted, and then she shrugged saying "I guess at this point, it doesn't hurt to try things out."

Soul laughed and said "I don't care. As long as they're cool, I'm cool."

Patty giggled and answered "He's a ginger! He's a ginger!" That wasn't much of an answer, but no one seemed bothered by this.

Amber's eyes brightened up like the sun and she replied with "He seems okay. We'll see."

Liz answered, unmoved, "I don't care. He seemed all right."

Kid stepped out into the open grass away from the others and said "Like Keira and Maka, I'm not sure about this just yet. If this kid isn't bad, we might as well increase our numbers like Dinya would say. I didn't exactly make my existence aware, in this case. I was hidden behind you guys with Amber."

"That's okay." Liz assured. "He'll be back soon enough. See. He's already disappeared over the horizon and-"

"Yes. This is true." Kid interrupted. "That doesn't matter. What if... _What if_..."

They all knew what he was getting at. Even Patty understood.

"That doesn't matter." Blackstar stepped over to Kid and placed a hand on the shinigami's shoulder. "If they're against shinigami, they don't need to join our group. If they're with it, they're with us. Don't stress about it, got it, Kid? There is nothing to worry about."

Kid nodded and smiled at the blue haired ninja. Although something in the back of his mind denied Blackstar's comment and said _"There isn't _nothing_ I should be worried about."_

Sam arrived shortly after with two other people at his side. One of them was a large, and tall, Mexican boy with hair that looked like Pepito's from _Madeline_. He had dark skin and very dark hair and eyes. This Mexican wasn't wearing armor like Sam, but a red short-sleeved shirt and dirty baggy pants with big brown sneakers.

"My name's Fernandez Fernando. Call me Nando." the Mexican boy introduced himself more clearly. "I'm fifteen. Need any more information?"

"Don't use that tone of voice with me." Maka snapped. "Go on. What's going on here? The other two need to explain themselves clearly and so do you."

The other one aside from Sam she was referring to was a short, dark brown haired, tanned skinned, amber eyed fellow with a childish face who seemed to be very young. He wore no armor. His clothes looked much like Nando's. "I'm Oliver." he stated in a high, prepubescent voice.

"Oliver Twist?" Soul asked jokingly. Oliver's face grew a bright red liked he was going to blow his top and he said harshly "No. My name is Oliver Arnold. Got a problem with that?"

"Tough..." Blackstar mumbled. Oliver shot a threatening glare at the ninja, even though this didn't bug Blackstar in the slightest. In fact, the ninja found it amusing.

Oliver continued with "I'm thirteen and-"

"Thirteen!" Liz hadn't meant to say it so loudly, but everyone was surprised. The kid was barely taller than four feet! And his face was of an eight year old! "Oh. Sorry."

"God!" Oliver was angry now. Nando placed his hand on Oliver's shoulder to calm down the hot-headed baby-face.

"God is right!" Samuel exclaimed humorously, taking notice of Kid standing over to the side.

Kid looked at the three newcomers in surprise. "Oh! It seems you've noticed." he laughed. Although his laugh didn't come out very naturally. He was unnaturally nervous considering how he usually would have acted. "My name is Death the Kid. Yes. I am the son of Lord Death." That introduction was unnecessary since the striped and eyes said it all, but it felt right to say it anyways. It also gave Kid more comfort in this stressful period to be able to repeat his name without the threat of being shot or worse, since these boys had no weapons from the looks of things.

"How come we didn't see you before?" Sam asked, eyes widening.

Kid laughed softly and answered smoothly "I can teleport. One minute I'm there, and the next... _Poof_! I'm gone."

Liz laughed at Kid's lack of seriousness. _At least he's finding ways to take things lightly_. Liz thought gladly.

There was a short introduction and everyone was set to finding a safer place to rest as the sun dipped down.

They made a small clearing in the grass and all laid down in a circle, talking quietly.

They had no fire. They had no water. But they had some berries, and there was enough to share. Even if each person only got so much.

Turns out Sam was fourteen. Just a year older than Dinya.

They fell asleep that night without much explaining. They hadn't explained much about what had happened yet, so they slept in mystery of one another. The sun had set too early and they needed some time to get things through to each other.

Kid dreamed darkly that night. Nothing good came to mind... That, and it was like the other dream he had recently. Only in this dream, the voice that called out to him was more panicked. Why? Kid didn't know. He wanted to wake up from the dead body of Alyssa and murderous strangle of Blackstar, but he simply couldn't. He tried. And he failed.

At least there were more people to support one another in these hard times.

Sometimes it's best to have a friend to lean on rather than a road to walk on.


	39. Chapter 39 It's hard to breath

Three days passed with little explanation of anything. Each person quietly got to know one another and collected food and went with partners to go down to the lake to get water to boil.

Today, Amber, Kid, and Sam went down to the lake to get water. They threaded themselves down tall stones and ended up at the watery shore. They were by the large open area of water where Alyssa had been violently torn in half.

Her carcase was still there, mostly eaten. Dangerous fish with very sharp teeth tore at any remaining flesh. The dead soldiers a bit further away were eaten from the neck and out, where the fish could reach their meat.

Sam stood in shock and asked "What happened here?" covering his nose with his armored hand.

Amber and Kid glanced at one another and looked back to Sam. Amber explained "She was part of our group and was attacked. She... obviously... did not make it."

"You say that so casually." Sam commented. "Should we get water from here? Their blood seems to have pooled out and juices are everywhere and bubbly. This can't be good water."

"You're right." Amber nodded. "Let's head up further, opposite the water flow."

They walked along the shore until the bodies were nowhere in sight. Kid sighed and said "Let's get water here. We'll boil it anyways, so any deadly bacteria should hopefully be vanquished."

"Hey, Kid." Sam turned to the shinigami as Amber bent down to get water. "... What's it like being shinigami?"

"_Ugh_." Kid didn't mean to sound irritated, even though he was. After giving a quick explanation with supporting details and etc., he shrugged and finished it with "Pretty much, it's a big deal."

Amber got enough water in the turtle shells they carried and spoke up, saying "I know you two have got a bro-mance going on, but it's about time we head back."

"Bro-mance?!" Sam gasped dramatically, suddenly gripping Kid's shoulders and shaking him, shouting "How did she know?!"

Kid pushed away from the ginger and the three laughed hard. It's usually difficult to laugh a lot in troublesome places, but if you find good humor, it's not that bad.

Meanwhile, Patty and Blackstar were running around the grass fields far from camp. Patty especially skipped around, laughing wildly till the point tears trickled down her cheeks. (I hate the word 'trickled', but it was a word I felt fit the sentence properly) Blackstar chased Patty around and they played two-person tag. Blackstar yelled out "I'm gonna get you if it's the last thing I do!"

And Patty playfully excepted this challenge with "Come on on try, blue-banana-boy-ninja!" Random name, but challenge accepted! As Blackstar endlessly chased Patty, he started hearing those voices in his mind again to his great annoyance.

"_**Come on, Blackstar. You'll never catch the weapon if you can't get shinigami."**_

"_**Why don't you join us?"**_

"_**You're above God, correct? Then prove it. Stomp on those you've defeated."**_

Blackstar whispered in reply, quiet so Patty couldn't hear or tell he was speaking, "_Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. Go away._"

The voices persisted.

"_**We'll never go away as long as we need you."**_

"_**Bring him to us."**_

"_**Tonight."**_

"_**Prove you're a man. Prove you're above God."**_

"_**There's only one way to do that, you know."**_

Blackstar bit down hard on the inside cheek of his mouth, tasting iron. At least the voices went away for now in doing so. He ran up really fast to Patty, and fell over on top of her.

Things seemed surreal, on top of the short-haired blonde. Patricia giggled, her blue eyes widening and matching the sky above in brightness. Her cheeks glowed and had a bright pink tint to them and she poked about Blackstar, his face, his arms, his chest.

Blackstar got up onto his knees and Patty crawled out from under him. Then before he could react, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged tightly. Blackstar's breath hitched for a moment. He was not expecting this in the slightest. Patty squeezed tighter, and Blackstar wrapped his own arms around the blonde.

After a minute or two, Patty stood up happily and called out "Come catch me again, Blackstar!"

Blackstar got up, flustered. Once more, he accepted this challenge. Especially in the hopes of hugging her again.

Liz had been watching a far distance away, and although she saw no vivid details, she could still see the frames of their bodies in motion as she tended to clearing any grass sprouting up in camp in order to avoid wildfire.

Keira looked over at Liz and asked "What's wrong? You seem distracted."

"Oh~" Liz turned and got back to work. That same longing once again met her heart and she fought to keep in mind in check. She didn't want to cry and freak out like some usual teenage love-deprived girl. She also didn't want to obsess over him. But, her mind had other plans. So did her body. It's been too long since she's snuggled or been close to Kid. Too many days. Hours. Minutes. Seconds, even. "Sorry. I was a bit distracted." Liz was liking Patty and Blackstar, and the two were her real life OTP. Why not? The pair was close and adorable together!

"What were you thinking about?" Keira asked innocently. She knew what Liz was feeling... Not personally feeling the same thing, but she understood what it was.

Liz shrugged. "Nothing important." Her tone of voice deepened and she wondered if the reason she wanted to cry was due to PMS. After all, what would she do when she got her 'monthly flow'?!

"Your happiness is important." Keira regretted her words. That's not something she'd usually say. Perhaps it is, though. Happiness being important. After all, who can function properly in utter depression?

Liz smiled at Keira, and the brunette turned away from the blonde, a drop of sweat tickling her back.

"I'm sure hot." Liz mentioned, changing topics. "I wish I could take my shirt off."

"Me too." Keira admitted, wiping her face with her sleeve. "You know what," And very out of character, Keira pulled her top right over her head. She had kept surprisingly good hygiene. Her armpits were shaved and everything!

Liz went all wide-eyed and laughed "You're taking your shirt off? Wait... You look like you've-"

"I sneaked off a few times to wash up. I shaved with my machete." She answered, laughing beneath her breath and allowing a smile to cross her face. "It sounds dangerous, but it worked."

"Can I use your machete to shave?" Liz asked with a little hesitation. "I haven't really gotten the chance to shave for the longest time now."

"Sure." Keira handed Liz her weapon. "Be very careful. You don't want to get cut with this big, sharp blade."

"Got it." Liz took her shirt off. Like Keira, her bra was black. Very carefully, Liz managed to shave her armpits without unintentionally cutting herself. She handed the machete back to Keira and giggled "When the boys come back, they'll just have to deal with it. Act mature, you know? If they try anything funny, I smack the skin off of them."

Keira nodded in agreement. "Seems legit."

Maka, Soul, Akiri, and Dinya were off hunting. Dinya's machine gun came in handy, only having to use one acurately aimed bullet to shoot through a rabbit's skull or any other creature that seemed edible enough. Dinya was fine with shooting the animals, and Akiri was happy to search for edible berries. Maka was on the lookout for anything suspicious, for they were in the forest away from the others. Soul was Digging up roots using his arm in blade form to dig things up that Akiri said would be okay to eat.

He sighed. Digging up roots on your hands and knees in the dirt isn't too fun. He tied his jacket sleeves tightly around his waist to keep from feeling the hunger biting at his stomach. He listened to Maka hum something that sounded smart. Akiri and Dinya didn't pay attention to Maka's soft singing like Soul.

Maka sang beneath her breath "_There's antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium. And hydrogen, and oxygen, and nitrogen, and rhenium. And nickel, neodymium, neptunium, germanium_~"

She seemed to have forgotten the lyrics to the fast sang song. She pursed her lips for a moment, and then went on after the words came back to her. "_And iron, americium, ruthenium, uranium. Europium, zirconium, lutetium, vanadium. And lanthanum, and osmium, and astatine, and radium. And gold, protactinium, and indium, and gallium. And iodine, and thorium, and thulium, and thallium_."

"What song is that?" Soul asked, looking up at Maka.

Maka looked surprised Soul was listening, and answered "It's the _Element Song_ by _Tom Lehrer_." (I feel that Maka would know this song very well)

Soul laughed and pointed the blade up to her. "That song sounds complicated. Did you train your brain to memorize it or something?"

"It's easy."

"_Sure_." Soul's unconvinced way of replying immediately caused Maka to roll her eyes and scoff. Soul then added "Of course it's easy to memorize, you being smart as you are."

That brightened Maka's spirits.

That night back at camp, they sat around the fire and started explaining things more deeply and clearly. Liz and Keira ended up putting their shirts back on before anyone got back due to the chill.

Kid sat next to Liz, the pair pressed together. This night was surprisingly cold. Patty cuddled against Blackstar, Maka against Soul. Akiri and Dinya sat next to one another. Sam, Nando, and Oliver all sat bunched together. Amber sat alone, and Keira did as well.

As Maka and Kid finished explaining their situation, Sam and the other two explained theirs.

Sam spoke calmly, the fire shining against his ginger hair, "I met these two idiots after a plane ride to these states when my parents freaked out over the earthquakes. I came here from Ohio. Turns out Nando here did too, and he was on vacation. Oliver Twist over here is not from Ohio."

"Ohio!" Amber clapped her hands together, a smile spreading across her face. "What a nice place~"

Oliver's face went all red again and he snapped "Don't call me Oliver Twist! Even if we're friends, I'll beat you till you're brunette!"

Sam waved his hands around in an I-didn't-do-anything way and everyone, excluding Keira and Sam, laughed.

Soon the night was settled in and everyone was starting to go to sleep. After these couple days, they hadn't worried much about security. Tonight, the air was cool, and the group wasn't taking any chances. Blackstar and Kid were taking shifts as the others slept. Only for now, they were both awake and standing up in the blades of grass that blew in the wind, creating the appearance of waves.

"Do you hear that?" Blackstar asked almost immediately. Kid listened closely to what Blackstar was talking about, and heard a shrill scream that sounded inhuman coming from the forest.

"Yes." Kid answered, furrowing his brows. "It's coming from the-"

"Should we go after it?" Blackstar interrupted, clearly too filled with energy to not explore.

"I suppose." Kid yawned. His eyes burned from tiredness and he stretched his arms up, releasing them at his sides right after. "That cry didn't sound human, but I do believe it may be best if we investigate... Just in case."

"Come on!" Blackstar whispered sharply. The two headed quickly and quietly towards the woods, the night wind nipping at their noses. At this time of year, it was about the middle of summer. "The cries are getting closer!"

Once the boys entered the darkened woods, they followed the sorrowful wails deeper into the shadows for a few minutes. Then just like that, the cries stopped. The forest was filled with a dead silence that sent shivers down even Death the Kid's spine.

"What happened to it?" Blackstar asked, breaking the silence. He breathed hard, as if fighting something off inside.

Kid stared at Blackstar through the blackness and felt a disturbance in Blackstar's wavelength. It seemed to be... shrinking, like it was making room for something else. "Blackstar?" He didn't want to look at Blackstar's soul right now. He felt it enough already. He walked up to the ninja, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing lightly. "Let's go back. We should be watching them tonight, not being here without fulfilling out jobs as watchers."

"Oh." The presence in Blackstar's soul... the presence _of_ Blackstar's soul... was blanketed by something dark. The ninja's tone of voice turned into an odd one. His voice was mocking, and homicidal. Not normal Blackstar in the slightest. Well... Maybe just a little. "That's too bad. You hear that now?"

Kid let go of Blackstar and took a step back. _Is it happening again? _he thought despairingly. One thing is to keep a friend from killing you, another is to have to injure your friend to get through to them in order to stop them in the first place! "Blackstar... Let's be rational now. What is it that you are hearing?"

Blackstar laughed in an... inhuman sort of way "I hear the sounds of the weaker falling."

Kid knew he wasn't talking to the same Blackstar, but he persisted. "Blackstar? Is that you? Why don't we just go back calmly and easily. No trouble, right? Come on. Don't come at me like that~"

Blackstar walked zombie-like towards Kid. Death the Kid could see his friend's face through the dark night sky, and the ninja's smile was uneven and toothy, eyes half-closed, and his face twitched into either a wider smile or his eye blinked asymmetrically. "What's the matter?" Blackstar laughed, getting right up in Kid's face. Damn it! The two were about the same height by now. "You ready to worship your god? Get down on your hands and knees, death boy. My show's about to start."

"No thanks." Kid wasn't sure where to go, but camp sure seemed like a dandy little place to be. He took another step back, but tripped on a root and fell onto his back. He propped himself up on his elbows, Blackstar looming over him. "What are you looking at, Blackstar?" Kid's voice didn't mean to quaver like that. "Can't we just go back?"

"No." Blackstar, if you could call him that, shook his head slowly. "We're not going anywhere until I get a standing ovation."

Kid stood up and asked hurriedly "There. Is that better?"

Blackstar reached out his hands so fast that Kid couldn't block it. The ninja's muscular fingers wrapped around his own dear neck and pressed in, trying to break through skin and flesh but not succeeding. Kid grabbed the ninja's wrists and squeezed so tightly he could feel some things break and pop. Blackstar released him and the shinigami stumbled backwards once again onto the ground. Kid hallucinated a vulture eying him from behind the blue-haired boy's figure.

Blackstar was on top of him in seconds, using the ground to press on Kid's neck even easier. "Bl... ack... star!" Kid gasped, fighting the strangling grasp and failing, his arms growing tired and weak. "Get... off... me"

Inside, the real Blackstar fought back whatever was keeping him away.

"I can't kill you." Blackstar stated, clearly someone else talking in his voice from the sounds of it. "I'll take you where you're needed. I'll take you and I'll get power and I'll be stronger."

His hands involuntarily squeezed tighter. Kid's vision was switching from black to the night without pattern and saliva dripped from his mouth as he could not swallow. His eyes felt like popping out of his head, there was so much pressure. _Please, Blackstar. You can't kill me... Don't kill me... I'm still needed! I can't die! Especially in the hands of you! What's making you do this, Blackstar? That can't be you... _Kid's mind buzzed to no avail as he could not fit the words in his mouth.

And before he knew it, everything went black.

And Blackstar fought away what possessed him and passed out. That morning, he could not recall last night. Kid was alive, but looked... sickly. What had they been doing again? Why were they out there? Why was Kid's neck bruised like that?

"Hey, Kid." Blackstar shook awake the weary reaper. Kid's eyes opened and he gasped at the sight of Blackstar. "Why so spooked? What happened?"

Kid immediately reached to feel the obvious bruises on his neck, covering them. "Nothing happened. Don't worry. It's not important."

"You don't look too good."

"Yeah." Kid admitted, looking down. He felt ill. "I'm just a bit nauseous. That's it."

"Hm..." Blackstar hummed. He felt like a big chunk of him was missing.

"We should get back to camp." Kid got up shakily, his hands now resting at his sides. "Hurry up, Blackstar. The others may worry."

The boys went back, and found the others were still fast asleep as the sun rose peacefully.

Blackstar laid down on his bed, rubbing his blue hair.

Kid laid on his bed, and curled up. He recalled everything last night. He was just happy that somehow Blackstar must have snapped out of it before it was too late.

"_A drop of laughter, a hint of light._

_A cry of sorrow, a long sad night._

_A drop of blood, a sense of rage._

_A cry of freedom, a new age."_

**(Another poem to end a long chapter. Why not? Poem is written by ME! As is this fanficiton, of course. And obviously I do not own Soul Eater. Please review and tell me how you're feeling about this so far! I hope you enjoy every chapter, and still are hungry for more! There is more to come, because this fanfiction is clearly not close to being done. (It's a long one, but why not?))**


	40. Chapter 40 They came from the woods

Everyone was awake except Kid. As they decided who got what chores, they waited for Kid to wake up. Eventually, they gave up on him and went to work. Liz stayed by Kid's sleeping side and did her daily chores at camp while the others were away. "Kid, why won't you wake up?" Liz asked, pulling out blades of grass too close to the fire pit. Kid's eyes fluttered open and who sat up, glancing around camp.

"Where is everyone?" he asked wearily.

"Off working." Liz answered, happy Kid woke up. "Why so tired today? Usually you're one of the first up."

"_Eh_... I had a long night." he answered with a shrug. "I guess I just... slept overtime."

Liz had taken notice of the now faint bruises on his neck like everyone else and asked "What happened to your neck?"

"I'm not sure." Kid replied. "Maybe... I hit something."

Liz was unconvinced. "But surely hitting something head on with your neck wouldn't cause those kind of marks. What could you have hit, anyways?"

"I don't know." Kid sighed, looking down at the ground. He couldn't tell Liz what 'Blackstar' did. How would that sound? _Hey, Liz. I lied. Blackstar tried to choke me to death but he wasn't really Blackstar when he did that so there's nothing to worry about. People are simply trying to get me by using my friend. _Yes. That sounded reasonable. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine-" Kid felt an enormous jolt of pain squeeze his abdomen, and he cried out, withering on all fours.

Liz's eyes widened and she screamed "Kid!" as she watched him crumple onto his forehead, arms wrapping his stomach. "What's wrong?!"

Kid looked up to Liz with pleading eyes and he gasped "I don't know... It hurts, Liz." There was a weakness in his body that he couldn't explain. It was as if his body had rapidly drained of energy. His soul... was... _drained_, almost. And the pain perhaps was caused by this rapid fluctuation. He was very tired. Far more than what he had been when he woke up.

"Lay down." Liz had Kid lay on his back. Her face was as pained as Kid's, having to see him suffer in any way. She felt his forehead, and he was cold as ice. "Well... It's not a fever."

"Just... Let me sleep." Kid steadied his breathing and the pain vanished as fast as it came. But the exhausted sensation remained. It felt like his soul was replenished, but the fast way that it would fluctuate was troubling in itself. "I'm really, _really_ tired."

"... Sleep." Liz backed away from her meister. She felt the difference in his wavelength as well. Not as strongly, but enough to draw worry. "Try not to have nightmares."

Kid fell asleep and Liz went back to chores. She wanted to know if Kid was all right. As long as he wanted to sleep, she'd let him.

Soul and Maka had gone to get water. Blackstar, Patty, Akiri, and Dinya were hunting. Keira, and Oliver collected berries. Amber, Nando, and Sam were on lookout quite a distance away from camp, fooling around in laughter.

Soul and Maka noticed something moving through the woods near where the others were hunting. "Soul, did you see that?" Maka asked in a whisper, staring at the land above.

Soul nodded and whispered "What do you think it is?"

"Soldiers." Maka's voice shook faintly. She hated fighting those evil people. What had been exciting at first turned into horrid realization after she saw what happened to Alyssa. After Kid had been violently attacked. After everything, those soldiers scared her nearly as much as the kishin had. "We've got to warn the others."

"Right." Soul and Maka dropped the shells, quietly making their way up. They stumbled over some stones, but managed a silent entry. They followed the sound of those footsteps marching along. That's when they heard a scream.

Akiri and Dinya drew their weapons. Dinya trembled with fear. Those soldiers disgusted her. Akiri held her machete gracefully, prepared to fight the five soldiers coming at them.

Patty and Blackstar looked at each other. Surprisingly enough, they were the two who didn't have weapons. "Patty, stay back." Blackstar instructed, afraid of losing her.

"Hell no!" Patty giggled. Blackstar looked back at her. Shocked.

"But-"

"Remember? I can fight too! I've beaten you before back at school in gym. Did you forget?"

"I wasn't ready-"

"That doesn't matter if you had been ready or not. What matters is I can handle myself!"

Blackstar sighed. He remembered back in gym when Kid was still captured in the book of Eibon. He lost to Patty. That was a sad day of his life when he had been defeated by a girl. None the less a weapon girl with little training.

Maka and Soul rushed to their sides. The six backed away from the soldiers who were now chasing them.

As they were chased through the woods, Maka got a chance to get a good look at the five.

"Should we go to camp?" Akiri asked through her gasping breath as they ran along.

Maka instructed "Let's lead them out of the woods, but camp might not be the best place. I can't wield Soul where there's no room."

"Makes sense." Akiri agreed. "But we might accidentally lead them to camp-"

"Does it really matter?" Dinya burst out. "They'll find it anyway the course they had taken! We've got to get to open land!"

Keira and Oliver weren't too far from what was going on. They weren't close enough to get caught in it, though. And then they heard marching headed towards them.

"Oliver, get back." Keira instructed.

The short, hot-tempered boy asked "What is that?" in a squeaky tone.

The marching came closer and closer. Keira's leadership senses were tingling and she pulled out her machete. She pushed Oliver back, the small boy falling against a tree. "What was that for?!" his face reddened.

"Shut up!" Keira snapped. "Run!"

Oliver did as told. He glanced back, seeing the soldiers' armor surrounding Keira.

"Run!" Keira's voice broke through again and again. Oliver realized he was being chased by... three soldiers!

Amber, Nando, and Sam noticed their friends fleeing from the soldiers, running away from the trees. Immediately as they got out of the woods, Soul transformed into scythe form and Maka wielded him with ease.

Oliver broke in a sprint through the woods, running into Akiri.

"What's wrong?" Akiri gasped.

Oliver quickly recovered and breathed "Keira... She's in trouble! We have to-"

"What's going on?" Sam asked, the three of the watchers running over to them. Amber grabbed her two swords.

"How many of them are there?" she asked.

One of the soldiers held a bow in his hands and pulled a white arrow out of a bag of them on his back. As fast as he did this, he shot Nanda is the eye.

Sam and Oliver simultaneously screamed as the Mexican fell onto his back. Another arrow was shot into his neck on the way down. Nanda was a goner. Nothing can fix that.

"You bastards!" Sam yelled, turning back to the soldiers. Oliver ran to Nando's side and tried to console the boy as he took his last breaths.

The soldiers looked at each other. Eight in all.

Liz shook Kid awake as they sat at camp. The two noticed what was going on and were struck with panic.

"Kid, can you fight?" Liz asked.

Kid stood up, still a bit tired. "I've got to try. Come on, Liz. Let's get over there!"

The two ran up and met with their friends.

"We've got it here." Maka turned back to them. "Liz, Kid, Patty," she caught the other blonde's attention. Patty ran over to Liz and Kid. "You need to get Keira... She was taken by soldiers. Oliver can lead the way. You must hurry!"

"Come on, girls." Liz and Patty went into Kid's hands in weapon form. "Oliver," Kid said. "Come on. Lead the way."

Oliver got up and Kid followed him into the woods. The other soldiers saw, and one was about to follow when Amber penetrated the white armor with her swords, plunging them in deep.

"Soul, let's do this." Maka snarled.

Soul nodded. "Let's go!"

Kid followed Oliver with some trouble. The little kid was fast like an Italian (anime reference) and Kid was still feeling slightly weak from earlier. Footsteps sounded again, but came from the side.

Oliver shouted "Keira! Keira!"

No answer. But those stomps got louder.

"How many are there?" Liz cried out. "Is this the end?"

"I won't let it be." Kid assured her. "I have faith in my friends. They'll pull through. They'll beat those others. We'll make it too! And we'll save Keira and Tsubaki as well!"

Oliver screamed and they all stopped running. Before they knew it, they were surrounded. Five soldiers. Oliver was thrown against Kid, and Kid wrapped his arms around him to shield him if possible. From out of the circle, Keira shouted. She was being restrained by soldiers outside this formation. "Oliver, you should have left me behind!"

"No!" Oliver's face burned and he fought against Kid's grasp. "I'm not that kind of person!"

"He's right." Kid called back. "I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have left any one of us behind as a first choice!"

"Oh you'd be surprised." Keira denied the comments. "Kid, you especially shouldn't have- Gah!" Keira's hair was pulled and something else was going on that the boys couldn't see. Metal against metal, it sounded like.

One of the soldiers pointed his rod at the boys. Oliver broke free from Kid's arms and shouted at the soldier "What are you doing to her?!"

The soldier was about to stab Oliver when Kid pushed the shorter boy out of the way. The rod landed in his left upper arm. It hurt, but Kid ignored the pain. "Don't be so rash." Kid snapped. "That'll get you killed some day."

"But..." Oliver's eyes widened seeing the rod stabbed in Kid's arm. "Your... Your arm!"

"It's not a big deal." Kid forced himself to smile. "I want you to go back to camp. You'll do that, right?"

Oliver furrowed his brows. "Kid, what will they do to you?"

"Don't worry about it." Kid said. And to the soldiers, he stated "There is no reason for this boy to be here. He's of no value to kill or to conquer. Let him be, and you can have me."

The soldiers shrugged and opened the circle, giving room for Oliver to escape. The short boy looked back once again at Kid and ran away.

The circle closed once again and Kid pulled the point out of his arm. "Alright, soldiers. Can't you let me see my other friend?"

The soldiers opened up on the opposite side, and Kid's heart sank.

Keira... she was... _she was_...

"Kid!" she cried from the ground, sweat dripping down her face. No weapon was in her hand. Her machete was long gone. "Why... Don't just stand there like an idiot. Run!"

"No." Kid said simply. "How can I run away from a friend? Especially one as helpful as you."

Liz smiled. She loved Kid's kind heart more than anything. And the sight of Keira made her want to cry.

The soldiers around Keira joined the circle around Kid. "You are the son of Lord Death, are you not?" one asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kid sighed. "Why don't you let my other friend go, too? There's no relevance of taking her either, is there?"

"She's a girl. Our men back at base are starving for her kind."

"You sicken me greatly. I won't go peacefully until she's out of your grasp."

"... Let the bitch go." One of the men pulled Keira off the ground and the shaking girl put her clothes back on. She ran away, looking very sorry at Kid.

Once she was out of Kid's sight and ears, the shinigami turned back to the soldiers. "Now, where is this base you speak of?"

"Just a few hundred miles east." one soldier stated.

"Where exactly?" the reaper asked.

"What are you asking? You're clearly planning something."

Kid laughed "I suppose I am." he continued. "Now please, if you can, tell me where this base of yours is."

"Near plenty of states. It's in the center of the USA."

"Ah! Thank you. Now that I know that, I can find it more easily."

"And what makes you so sure you'll be able to find it?"

"Oh, a shinigami can tell." Kid acted casually, annoying the soldiers. He then raised Liz and Patty up at two soldiers in front of him and shot fatal bullets in their necks. The men fell back dead and dying. He shot two other men just as fast in the same fatal manner. There was a stab in his left hip and a stab in his right shoulder blade. He was shocked with high-voltage and shot two more men fatally before he fell and convulsed on the ground, face down.

"Are there others?" One soldier asked. The electricity stopped flowing through Kid's body, but he was stabbed in the back and legs so he could be held down.

"Why would you want to know?" Kid growled, failing to raise himself off the ground.

"That means yes when you ask a question like that." another soldier sounded proud. "The direction those two ran, let's go that way."

"N-no!" Kid raised his pistols and with what he could see, he shot two more men in the throats. He got up shakily, and worked on finishing off the rest.

Soul and the others had defeated all the soldiers around them. They had been successful aside from Nando's death. When Oliver and Keira came running back, they were paled.

"What's wrong?" Blackstar asked.

"Kid!" Oliver cried, running into Sam's arms. He acted quite young being thirteen years old. "He..." he sobbed "He saved me! He didn't have to but he did! We've got to help him!"

Akiri, Maka, and Dinya stared at Keira's shaken composure.

"What happened to you? You're clothes are all torn." Maka reached out for Keira.

Keira broke down, which seemed impossible before. "Don't... Don't ask. Just... Get him back!"

Dinya, Akiri, and Maka took Keira and Oliver back over to camp. The girls didn't have to ask what happened to Keira. Few things can break a strong girl down, and what happened... What happened probably happened to Tsubaki too.

Soul, Sam, Amber, and Blackstar followed the now well made path to where Kid was supposed to be.

At this time, Kid was finishing off the last soldier.

"Having trouble?" Kid teased. "I already killed all of your buddies. You think you can get away?"

The soldier laughed and in a fast motion, unlike the others, swiped Liz and Patty out of Kid's tired, shaking hands using the rod, leaving Kid weaponless.

"Look who's talking now?" the soldier giggled a very manly giggle. "I'm going to tell you once." he stepped up to Kid and pushed the shinigami onto the ground. That same sudden pain burst through Kid again, and the reaper shriveled up like wild flowers. And then it disappeared, and left Kid so tired he could barely move.

"Get off me!" Kid fought it, but couldn't get the heavy metal off of him.

"Oh poor shinigami. Ready to join your father?"

"Damn it..." Now Kid was panicking. Struggling. Fighting with what energy he had left. "P-please. G-get off of me." And now he was crying. Too many memories haunted him of grown men on top of him and weighing him down. Cold and hard. Too powerful. Weak. That's what Kid is. _Weak_.

"Crying." The soldier poked Kid's eye with the end of the beak mask. "This proves just how pathetic shinigami is." The man pulled out something from a small bag attached to his pants. "Tell me if it hurts." It was a large syringe. "We keep this in our pockets in case we find what we're looking for. That would be you." He plunged the long needle into the Sternocleidomastoid muscle on the right side of his neck (long word). Kid's eyes widened and he gagged violently, trembling and screaming. The injection was complete and the needle was roughly ripped from his neck. "Alright." The soldier grabbed Kid by his shoulders and slammed him back onto the ground and off. Now the poor shinigami was hyperventilating.

The soldier suddenly stopped moving, and fell limp onto Kid's quaking body.

"Kid!" Blackstar threw the soldier off of the shinigami. Liz and Patty transformed back into human form... They would have done something, but everything happened so fast they were really in a state of shock.

Soul and Blackstar pulled Kid up onto his feet, and the shinigami immediately fell back down, his hand whipping over his neck and squeezing it. "What's wrong?" Soul asked, trying to pull Kid's hand off his neck.

Kid didn't answer. He shut his eyes tightly and wrapped both his hands around his neck, strangling himself.

"Stop it!" Blackstar pulled Kid's hands off. Kid stared blankly at the ninja, sitting and shaking. Then his face turned red. A very dark red. "Huh? Can you breath?"

Kid's eyes rolled back and he collapsed. "Kid..." Amber cried. She felt ill watching this happen to him. "Is he... alive?"

"Yes. They wouldn't kill him." Blackstar assured, picking up his friend and closing the reaper's eyes. "If they killed him right away, he'd lose his value. Plus, he still has a pulse."

His face turned pale again, and Kid could breath easily. But he was unconscious none the less.

They carried him back to camp, hoping Kid would get better. Liz fought back tears, wanting to comfort Kid, knowing that was impossible.

**(Hope you look forward to the next chapter!)**


	41. Chapter 41 Wake up! says the Liz

Liz waited for Kid to wake up, but he didn't. He was in a deep sleep. From the looks of it, Kid was having a nightmare as well. It always interested her that he'd talk in his sleep, even if his speech came out in mumbles and slurs. He rocked too, like he was an infant. His face was pained, and yet... he still wouldn't wake up. Even after the next morning came, he was... _asleep_.

"Don't worry." Blackstar placed a hand on Liz's shoulder. The blonde looked up at him. "Whatever they gave him is meant for long travel. He'll be asleep for a while."

Maka walked over to where Liz, and Blackstar were, standing over Kid. She bent down and handed Liz a turtle shell of freshly boiled water. Kid was running a high fever, and his face was reddish and he burned at touch. It had gotten bad right when they arrived back at camp. "I'll keep boiling water. There isn't much we can do. Who knows how he'll be when he wakes up."

"Not in the best condition, I'm sure. Thank you, by the way." Liz took the shell and placed it upon her lap. Taking a cloth she had gotten from Nando's shirt. They had rid the body a distance away. She dipped the ripped section of shirt that wasn't stained with blood in the cooling water. She got it nice and wet, and then dabbed Kid's face. His expression didn't change and he didn't react. Even with the cold water, he remained at rest. They would continue searching for life once Kid woke up. They can't stay in one place forever!

"What do you think he's dreaming about?" Maka asked with a concerned expression. "He may be sleeping, but he looks scared and he's moving quite a bit."

"I have a few ideas." Liz admitted quietly, holding the rag in place against his forehead. Chances are it had something to do with Noah, or Gopher, or Asura, or what had happened the past month that scarred him and made it even more difficult for him to sleep. "I don't know for sure. It's probably a mix of some things."

"Yeah." Blackstar nodded. Liz's answer was very reasonable. "Oh well. We better get back to work, Maka."

Maka agreed and the two ran off to join the others who were getting water, herbs, and other things to use for helping Kid. Today was their 'lets get stuff we can use for medical emergencies' day.

Liz remained at Kid's side, trying to help him. She wanted him to wake up so much! "I swear," she said as no one was around to hear. "When you wake up, I'll do something bold. Maybe I will kiss you. I don't even know anymore what I'll do. I've been waiting to be alone with you and no one else, but I suppose... this is all I'll get." Her eyes got teary. "Oh please, Kid. I really wish you would hear me now. It would make things easier on my side if you learned by accident."

Kid wasn't listening, of course. He was in a deep dream, terrified out of his mind.

_His limbs were bound to a bed and he wore a black robe. The black robe often occurred in his dreams for reasons Kid wasn't even too sure about. He struggle against the ropes binding him, and began to cry. _

_Noah came over to him, a sickening smile across his face. The grown man laughed, and spoke softly but in the most menacing of tones "Weak. I thought my most prized possession would be of more value." And he sat on the bed. "Of all my possessions, I value you even so."_

"_Go away!" Kid cried, and Noah's grin got even wider._

"_But, even now, you still have not learned your place." Noah inched forward, and was soon on top of the shinigami, crushing Kid. "I do not mean to scare you like I do. But, you must learn."_

As Liz watched Kid thrash in his sleep, she held him down in fear that he'd hurt himself. "Wake up!" Liz's voice trembled like Kid's body. "Wake up! Damn it!"

_After what happened, the room around him vanished. He was suddenly in his Death suit. He stood up in a room painted gray. Blood splatters were everywhere and there was nothing but a gray bed and a gray, old record player._

_Kid walked over to the record player, and fingered the cold metal horn. And suddenly, very loudly, the machine started. The song '_The Entertainer_' by _Scott Joplin_ from 1902 started up. The recording was quite... disturbing, considering the happy music made the blood stains around the room look even more... Kid couldn't explain it. It's like when you add well known nursery rhymes to horror movies._

_Kid stumbled back, startled. He hit someone, and when he turned around to see who it was, no one was there. He glanced around the room, trying to find anything that could be of use to him. A door formed on the wall by the old recorder, and Kid walked over to it. He grabbed the knob, but when he turned it, it broke off. He threw the knob to the ground and peeked inside the empty hole the knob revealed. _

_From the looks of it, nothing was inside. Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. This hand had long slender fingers and the top of the hand had the marking of a kishin with the red eyes._

_Kid pulled away, but couldn't release himself from the grasp that wrapped around and squeezed so tightly he felt things pop. It hurt. He pulled and pulled, and suddenly, literally walking through the door, Asura entered the room. The kishin was holding the head of someone blonde. Kid's eyes widened in terror and he saw who the head belonged to._

"_Liz_~" Kid slurred as he reached out and grabbed the blonde's shirt as she cooled his burning head.

"Kid?" Liz inhaled. Why was he reaching out to her? "Wake up, Kid."

His grip relaxed, and his hand dropped back down to the ground. His breathing quickened like it had a little bit ago.

_Asura dropped Liz's decapitated head, and Kid reached for it, only to have one of those skin scarves wrap around his arm. Kid was violently thrown against the old recorder. That hurt really bad. Asura grabbed Kid by the arms and raised him, a smile on his face._

_Kid fought against it, but couldn't defeat Asura. Asura forced Kid's head into the horn of the recorder and held it there. The song suddenly changed. A very disturbing, old jazz song played that Kid couldn't recognize. It played very loudly in his ears, and he struggled to get his head out of the horn. The song then started skipping, stuck looping on a certain, very unreal note. In the record, another noise mixed in with the music._

_Screaming. Very loud screaming that sounded like it was in the room and happening then with the music looping in the background._

_Kid, himself, screamed. His back was forced back against the gray wooden block the record player was on. Asura pressed up against him, whispering into Kid's ear "Why don't you join me in insanity? Like me, you must accept the madness. Let it become one with you." And everything around him disappeared, and he was falling. Kid picked up speed, flying down the long, dark pit. At the bottom was solid ground. No water..._

_His face was about to hit, and he woke up._

Kid bolted up from the ground her lay on, screaming.

Liz immediately tried to comfort him, but he just slapped her hands away.

"What the hell! What happened?" Liz asked.

Kid caught his breath, opening his eyes. He stared back into Liz's. For a moment he was confused about what happened. He remembered being injected with something that made him sleep. It gave him pain. It wasn't the same injection Arthur had used on his that sent him to the specific nightmare realm his was scared of. This was just something to make him _sleep_... Right?

"I'm sorry." Kid looked down to the ground, feeling his neck. He was really sweaty and sore. "Did I hurt you?"

"No." Liz embraced her meister in a hug, confusing him for a second. "This is what I've been waiting for. I was so worried about you, Kid!"

And then that rash thing I had warned you about in earlier chapters that Liz would do happened. Perhaps it isn't 'rash', but it is bold and head-on in some aspects.

She kissed him. This caught Kid off guard greatly, and he actually tried to pull back.

She released him, a deep blush on her cheeks. Kid's face was red as a tomato.

"Why did you do that, Liz?!" He was so confused he accidentally raised his voice to a yell.

Liz giggled. This reaction didn't surprise her one bit. In fact, she had expected it. "Hm... I just... Well..."

Kid caught on, eye twitching. "Oh... You... Why... Why did you..."

"Duh! I like you! I... I love you, actually... Sorry for telling you now. This probably isn't the best time. But if it wasn't now, I'm sure I never would have the guts to tell otherwise."

"I see~" Kid turned away, unsure of what to make of the situation. Love is a very strong word. Of course he loved the girls. Chances are they love him too. But the kind of love Liz has for him? That's a new standard for Kid entirely. Never has a girl told him she loved him. Never has he told a girl he loved her. Not like this, anyways. Considering how surprised, and not in the mood he was, Liz couldn't possibly be surprised if he took more than a few minutes to think quietly for an answer. Kid simply hadn't thought much about it... But something bugged him greatly. Or, maybe it was a sign?

In his dream, Liz's head was the one he saw. Liz's head he had cried over. But wouldn't he have cried or been angered to the point of rage if any of his friend died? After all, Liz would die long before he ever would reproduce, would she not? He's shinigami for Death's sake! He can live hundreds of years while Liz... Liz can only live so many. He had to admit he'd always liked her, and she was quite attractive aside for being relatively asymmetrical. He loved her as a sister, and maybe... maybe a tad more than that and what he'd be willing to admit. But for him to admit something... something that he probably wouldn't be sure about for a long time... That would be an issue if anything would arise to make it a problem.

Liz cocked her head. "Will you at least give it a try? I know you probably have never liked anyone, none the less loved them the way I told you now. But... despite that, I'd still like to date you. At least give it a chance. What's holding you back?"

"... There are plenty of things holding me back. This isn't the best time..."

"Still..." Liz leaned up, wrapping her arm around Kid's shoulder. "Isn't it a good thing to feel love and be loved when so many things are challenging that very thing?"

"I really do like you." Kid stated. "I've just never given love a thought in anything."

"Do you love my personality?"

"Yes. How else could we be so compatible as weapon and meister. Of course there is Patty, but she's a bit immature."

"... Ignore the Patty factor for now. Do you _especially_ love my personality?"

"Yes. You're one of the nicest, loving people I've ever known. You're also very strong and compassionate. I... I really do it."

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Aside for some things like the fact you're a bit asymmetrical... hair-wise and kind of your face. Yes. In 'normal' eyes, you are beautiful. In my eyes, you are beautiful. Especially in weapon-"

"Ignore weapon form, too. Is my soul beautiful? Do you love my soul?"

"Yes. Your soul is the best things about you. I very much love your soul."

"Then how could you not love me?"

"Liz, I'm just not sure. I guess... if you put it that way... I... love you."

"Hm... If it doesn't work, oh well. Let's just enjoy each others company and act like regular boyfriend and girlfriend."

"You're older than-"

"By a couple years. Everyone knows you're mature for your age... Aside from the OCD, of course."

They sat there for a while enjoying one another. Perhaps this would be better for Kid, having someone by his side and to think about. Now that he thought deeper, he really did love her. It never struck him as love, though. He thought about her often, especially in the book of Eibon. Was it true? Was he really so stupid that he couldn't even realize his feelings for her? Did he really have to be in a weak position to make this discovery? Was he really... _weak_?

"Sure." Kid gave a reassuring smile that was a great improvement from the grimace he had worn while sleeping. "I'd love to. Let's not go overboard, though. With what's going on, anything can happen. And... I'm afraid that if I fall madly in love with you... it'll hurt more later on."

Liz understood Kid's point, and this saddened her. He would live long past her and the others. "As long as we have now, at least you can save the memories."

Kid liked that. The two hugged and stood up. "So where are the others?" Kid asked.

Liz shrugged. "I think Maka's down with some of them at the lake. They left quite a bit ago though... She's been bringing water to boil all day now."

"Let's go." Kid held her hand and they walked towards the forest through the grass. Avoiding the dead soldiers bodies.

They met up with Maka, Blackstar, Akiri, and Keira. "Are you okay?" Maka asked Kid.

Kid nodded. "Yes." He dropped Liz's hand and asked "Where are the others?"

Keira had improved in condition, but she was still shaky. "Are you _sure_ you're okay, Death the Kid?"

"I'm sure... I'm better. How about you?" Kid asked with pure concern, having seen what happened to her.

Keira sighed "I'm alright. I'll get over it. I'm still recovering, though. I hate to be a weight on the group. I'd much rather be a leader instead of someone who needs comfort."

Kid looked around. Maka seemed content. So did Blackstar. Akiri had a neutral expression on her face. "Where are the others?" he asked again.

Maka smiled. "Let's go see them. They're pretty close. I'll show you."

They walked over to the others. Amber, Sam, Patty, and Oliver joined the group. And soon enough, they all stood together in the woods discussing their next moves.

"What should we do?" Oliver asked. "Where can we go?"

"If we find a city not overrun with soldiers, that would be nice." commented Maka.

"Why don't we head back to Death City?" Keira suggested. "After all, Kim and Jacqueline never came back."

"Hm... They probably couldn't find us. They did check, I'd imagine." Soul spoke up, hands in his pockets. "I think they found it, and then couldn't find us. That, or they just... never came back."

"Do you think Death City's gone?" Sam asked. "I'd like to see it. After all, I've never been to shinigami-central."

"I don't know." Soul shrugged and yawned. "I have a feeling like everything else, it's gone. But, there's no pain in checking it out."

"I do believe it's gone." Amber said with a frown. "I'd like to visit California and check out the waters. I want to see what prehistoric friends are out in the ocean. Maybe we'll see our Dunkleosteus!"

Amber's mood went from sad to happy in a split second. Maka for sure hadn't forgotten the Dunkleosteus, and wasn't as excited at the thought of it. "It's probably reproduced a ton by now. There could be tons of Dunkleosteus babies swimming around right now."

Amber cackled madly and spun around on her feet singing "I'll swim with the Dunkleosteus and eat with the Basilosaurus and the Elasmosaurus and dance with the Kronosaurus and Liopleurodon!" Suddenly she got very serious and stated "But I'd never swim with them because they'd eat me up and even though I wouldn't mind, that wouldn't be of much help, now would it?"

"Good to know." Patty giggled. "Looks like you're back to normal!"

"When was I different?" Amber creepily rested her head on Soul's shoulder, her eyes wide and mouth smiling. "What's abnormal about me?"

"Okay!" Maka pulled Amber off Soul and Soul snickered, so she hit him. "Where are we going? Let's make a final decision."

Oliver snapped "Why don't you suggest something?!"

"Fine." Maka grumbled "Let's go to-"

The ground beneath them broke unevenly, rising up or down. Everyone blacked out in the second after feeling a giant wave vibrate through them. They were thrown, but weren't awake to see the direction.

Now, as we all know, Maka hates when she is interrupted. But, she can't always Maka-Chop what interrupted her. In this case, Maka-Chopping the Earth wouldn't get her very far.

**(Sorry for taking so long to upload. I've had lots of work and still do! Also, I wasn't sure how exactly to write out the Kid+Liz is this chapter. Please review! I hope it was okay... X )**


	42. Chapter 42 A warm place to land

Maka's eyes fluttered open, blinded by the sunlight. It took her a moment to realize she was on the steep slope of a long drop, and barely enough friction held her there. She then panicked, and started falling. The falling didn't last long, because she hit a slab of stone sticking out from the slope and was stopped. She peered down. If she had kept falling, she would have burned to death in the river of lava below. The river flowed far from what she could see through the burning light. The slope was of dry dirt, and her back was covered in it.

She glanced up, tired and shaken from the fall. "Soul!" she called out. "Soul! Where are you?!"

Soul stood just above her, barely hanging onto a rocky slab. He had been laying there, rolled over when he woke up, and was now dangling for his life. "Hey, Maka!" He burst out, teeth clattering, disregarding the heat. "I'm going to turn into a scythe. You catch me. You, me, we fly out of here in no time."

Maka agreed and Soul transformed, making the short fall down before landing in her arms. He extended his scythe wings and Maka boarded him. They left the rock slab, much to their weary relief, and flew up onto the forest ground in the cover of trees. Soul went back into human form, and stretched out. "Usually I'm greeted by bacon and eggs, maybe a frying pan." Soul went on, reminiscing about the good old days. "Sometimes there would be a Blair on top of me, but now... Now I'm greeted by near-death experiences and early morning activity."

"Deal with it." Maka chuckled, unable to take things seriously with Soul's casualness.

Soul heard a light whimpering just ahead of them, and went to check it out, Maka following close behind.

Amber sat, back to a tree. Her expression was a grimace, and she whimpered through her clenched teeth, grasping her right shin. "It's broken!" she gasped. Somehow, she hadn't lost her swords, even after the land did all its weird stuff.

Akiri was to the tree beside her, still unconscious. Her back was red and bloody, although she was faced down on the ground. Soul and Maka couldn't see where her machete had landed.

The ground where they had been standing from this side was pushed up in ginormous shards and slabs, pointed up. Impaled on a tree branch, back to one of those slabs, was Oliver. His tiny face was drained of color, and his shirt was completely soaked through. He was impaled directly through the chest.

Soul shuddered. This wasn't a pretty sight to behold. Soul knelt down beside Amber and took her weapons in his hands. "I'll make sure these don't get lost. Maka, can you help me?"

Maka nodded and knelt down as well. She carefully helped Amber to her feet. "I'm guessing you can't walk."

"Nope." Amber cringed. "Not like this, anyways."

"We better wait for Akiri to wake up." Soul said and he walked over and rolled Akiri so she'd face up. Her machete had cut up her arms pretty bad, but she was still breathing. It seemed her bloody back was also damaged, but she'd have to wake up before they'd be able to tell if anything needed to be looked at.

Meanwhile, Liz woke up, standing shakily. She couldn't see in the cold darkness of the caved in land. They had fallen into some sort of stone cavern, but her dear vision was cut off for no sunlight entered the shadow. She began to panic. "Patty?" she gasped, throat sore. Her left arm was bleeding, but she could deal with that easily. "Kid, where are you? Patty? Patty?"

Blackstar woke up on the cold damp stone. He stumbled over and landed on someones body.

Keira woke up, pushing Blackstar off of him with great force. "Damn it." She snapped, unable to see through the darkness. "Out of everyone," she whispered to herself "I just so happened to end up with _you_."

Blackstar stepped in something wet and sticky, and tripped over a body crushed beneath a rock. He found a machine gun in this body's hands. "Oh no." he gulped "I think I found Dinya."

Obviously Dinya was dead.

Keira stepped over, following his voice. "Give me her gun if you have it."

Blackstar managed to hand over the machine gun and Keira took in, slightly disgusted from the blood. "Thanks." she sighed. "Since my machete is gone, it's better I have some sort of weapon to carry."

Kid woke up, an immediate pain entering his chest. The automatic assumption was that some ribs were broken from the fall. He felt something hard pressing down on his right leg, and he couldn't move it out from where it was positioned. Blindly, he propped himself up on one elbow and reached down in hopes of understanding the pain and yet... a numbness knee down.

His right leg had been crushed under a rock, the sharp slab of stone ripping half-way through the back of his knee and barely keeping from cutting all the way through. He was losing blood fast. Kid remembered his first sanzu line had been connected in the battle for brew after his arm was cut clean off. If he could somehow finish the process and slice his own dear leg off knee down, he could connect the first sanzu line with little trouble and reconnect his leg. At least, he hoped it would be that easy, considering he had only done something like that once or twice.

"L-Liz!" he yelled, hearing his voice echo in the cold stone cavern. "P-Patty! Help! Can you hear me?!"

His elbow weakened and he fell back down on his chest, his ribs hurting. His hand reached out. If he didn't get someone to cut off his leg, his body could start healing around the stone and ruin itself in the process. That, or it wouldn't heal at all. His head grew light and more pain entered his leg, any numbness fading. His hands reached out, and a soft hand touched his.

"I'm here." Patty said calmly. "What happened?"

Kid couldn't see it, but he knew she was right in front of him. "Hm... Well, the world kind of caved in from what I'm aware of. Patty, are you hurt?"

"No." Patty giggled, but her laugh didn't have such a cheerfulness as it usually held. "Why do you need help?"

"M-my leg... It needs to be cut off."

"I don't know what I can use for that."

"Is Liz around?"

"I can't see anything, Kiddo. If she was awake, she'd be here by me."

"True..." Kid breathed out shakily. "Okay. Listen to me carefully. Find a sharp... _very_ sharp rock."

"Okay!" Patty hopped off in the darkness and felt around a bit. She found a sharp, long slab of stone that nearly cut her finger when she slid her hand along the edge. She grabbed it and followed Kid's breathing back to him. "Got it! What do you want me to do with it?"

Kid knew it would hurt terribly, but it had to be done. "Feel the rock right here."

Patty felt the cold, giant slab. "Got it."

"Move down and feel where my leg is."

Patty found it and she shuddered at the sticky fluids pumping out of his penetrated leg. "You want me to..." she held up the sharp blade of stone.

"Very carefully cut it off." Kid grimaced at the idea. "Cut my leg right where the stone meets it, okay?"

"How do you want me to cut it?" Patty shivered, taking in Kid's serious tone of voice.

"Hm..." Kid moaned "Just saw it off. Sink in the blade, pushed down on it, and don't stop no matter what I say. Don't hurt yourself."

"Huh..." Patty took the stone in hand, sliding it down the side of the slab breaking through Kid's flesh. She gently pushed the shard in between the flesh and slab, blood spraying onto her hands.

Kid cringed as the stone slid inside. "Okay..." he panted "Push down and get it over with."

Patty ignored any noise coming from things she knew not to listen to. That's something she learned to do from back in the city when she was nearing a break in sanity. Block everything out, and you can do what you do. She pressed down on the stone so that her hands weren't on the sharp edge. Harder. Harder. She needed tons of pressure to be able to cut through the remaining tendons and knee cap. Could she glide around the knee cap and cut it out with accuracy? Not until the tendons were sliced, anyways.

Kid bit his teeth down hard, letting a whimper slide here and there. His eyes were shut tight, and his hands gripped together and squeezed. He tried to focus on his soul in order to block out the pain. After all, he'd need to focus on his soul if he wanted to get out of this alive.

Patty felt and heard some thing snap. Gingerly, she reached down and felt the tendons were cut. Then she cut around his knee cap instead of slicing through it. Finally Kid's bottom half of his leg was cut off.

Kid pulled himself away and instructed "Patty, you must pull my leg out from under the stone."

Patty had stopped blocking things out and did as instructed, retrieving the bottom half of his leg and holding the limb, dropping the stone shard.

Kid sat up, focusing deeply. He closed his eyes and in a meditative way, unleashed his powers he had learned to control. The first sanzu line connected with no trouble. The same skull-like arm reached out and grabbed the sliced limb out from his remaining upper half of leg. The skull arm then pulled the leg back into place, and his flesh and bones reconnected with one another. Finally his leg was whole again.

Kid stood up shakily, helping Patty stand as well. "Thank you." he smiled, truly thankful. "Let's go find Liz."

"You don't have to." Liz spoke up from in front of them. Even in the dark, they could hear her.

The three quickly hugged. Kid, getting used to his reattached limb, spoke. "Girls, get in weapon form."

The girls did, and they landed in his hands.

Kid walked forward. His line unconnected and he searched for anyone else, trying to sense their souls. He did right away, and saw in front of him just around the bend of a corner, shined a pointed light to the shimmering ground.

"Hello?" Kid walked over to where it was.

Sam stood there, a light shining from his left pointer finger. "I found a neat trick with the armor." he hit the metal, causing an awful ruckus of noise. "The armor's fingers have tiny flashlights that are pretty powerful. Hey, are you alright? You don't look so good." Sam shined the flashlight into Kid's face, making the reaper squint. "You seem a bit shaken."

"I just had Patty cut my leg of, is all." Kid yawned, moving Sam's hand away from his face. "It's not a big deal."

"You cut your leg off?"

"... Yes. That's okay, though, because if I connect one of my sanzu lines, I have the ability to reattach it."

"Wow." Sam was astounded, but this was no time for questions. "Let's look around together. Hopefully we'll find the others."

"_Yeah_~" Kid resisted the urge to check the symmetry of his hair and followed Sam along a dark winding cave. Water rushed to their side, spraying up at their legs. The water rushed pretty fast, heading in the same direction they were going. "I wonder if the water will lead us somewhere."

"That would be nice." Sam commented, pointing ahead. "Let's keep following it."

Keira and Blackstar, though they could not see anything, decided to climb up some large slabs of stone.

Eventually, light peeked out from where they were, and they found a way out.

Soul and Maka created a splint for Amber's poor leg out of natural resources.

"Where should we go now?" Maka asked with a sigh as Soul helped Amber use another natural made crutch.

"Any city will do. We better check out the west coast." he answered.

Maka agreed. It wasn't like they would lose anything at this point, anyways. Akiri woke up, and started crying. Maka rushed over to her side to see if she was okay.

Akiri smiled a very pained smile. She stroked her machete blade and whispered "It... it hurts, Maka."

"What hurts?" Maka asked, concern growing for her older friend. She gently placed a hand on Akiri's upwards facing left upper arm.

"My..." she gasped. "My back hurts terribly." Even now, after being around so many people, she still pronounced things like a Japanese person. And even now in the painful situation, Amber could not help but giggle at it! "I think... I think I broke something."

Maka was suddenly filled with dread. _Broke something? Bleeding from her back? _Maka thought panicky _What if she broke her back?! _"Can you move your legs? Feel them?"

Akiri tried, but couldn't. She was disturbed by this, and Maka and Soul could see it clearly in her face she was terrified. Akiri, being the oldest, wanted to show bravery and try to be of help. And this... This is _not_ helpful, not is it a situation where one can keep their cool.

"You... You aren't thinking about leaving me here, are you?" she asked, on the verge of tears. She wished she was stronger. "Are you?"

"Of course not!" Maka's heart pounded. She was struggling to think of the right thing to do. _If Akiri can't move, we can't keep on searching_.

"Sorry, Akiri." Soul frowned. "What do you want us to do? Are you sure you can't move your legs?"

"Can't move them, can't feel them."

"Well then..."

"We can't carry her along like a weight, even if she's our friend." Amber sniffed, sorrowful. "If you can't move, then what help can you be?"

Maka turned back to Amber, rage burning her eyes. "How can you just say that?!" she yelled. "Akiri is our friend!" Even though she knew Amber to be right... "You bitch! We can't leave our friends behind! You have a broken leg and we helped you! Now it's your turn to help her!"

"A broken leg is different than paralysis." Amber fought back quietly. She was never one to raise her voice. "I know it's sad, but it's true and I know you know that."

"Why don't we just leave you behind?! That will take some of the weight off!"

"Maka, I'm sorry but-"

"Why don't we just throw you over into the lava I nearly fell in this morning?! After all, injuries only make you a dead-weight! And if we have you gone, what bad will that do?!"

"Well, you do need me for-"

"Akiri's been more helpful than you by a long shot! You've been talking and flirting-"

"_Flirting_?" Amber repeated, vexed.

"Yes! Don't interrupt me! We will not leave a friend behind and..." Maka turned back to Akiri, who's face was suddenly pained. "What..." she asked softly "What's wrong, Akiri?"

"Don't... fight." she breathed out, struggling to speak. "I... I am fine with this..." She held her stomach firmly, red coming out from between her spread fingers. "Besides, I don't think I have much longer."

"What did you do?" Maka walked up to her, kneeling down. "You weren't bleeding there before..."

What Akiri had done while Maka screamed at Amber, was stab herself with her own machete. Soul had seen this, but didn't interfere for he really had no time to. Akiri hated fights more than anything, and at least this made the girls stop. She was fine with being considered weight, because at this point, she couldn't carry her own anymore. "I have hope... That I'll be able to see... my father..." A lone tear dripped down her cheek. "Watashi wa chichi o mite... matsu koto... ga dekinai."

Maka understood, and realized she should have listened to Akiri instead of arguing with Amber. "Does it hurt too much?"

"Throw me into the lava, so the last thing I see is that beautiful orange glow." Akiri coughed up blood, the stab being deep.

Maka looked at Soul, tears starting to run down her face. Soul seemed pretty drowned out as well. Amber stood behind them, crying her eyes out. Even if their best choice was to leave Akiri, and she had mentioned that choice clearly, she hated to see any of her friends suffer.

Maka, in great sadness, asked finally "Is that what you really want?"

"Even if I am burning, the lava warms me and gives me a pretty light to sleep with. I would rather die like that than lying down here."

"So be it." Soul bit his lip, bending down and picking up Keira by the arms, lifting her upper half off the ground. Maka gently pulled out Keira's machete.

"Give the machete to someone who needs it..." Akiri exhaled. If she wanted to die in lava, they would have to carry her over fast. "... How about Keira. She lost hers..."

Maka handed Amber the machete and picked Akiri up by the legs. The four of them headed over to where Maka had awoken earlier. Soul peered down, feeling the heat rise and blaze below.

"I really am sorry." Amber cried, tears flowing out. "You know... I only... want the best... for everyone... and you... you... It's not fair that you... can't have... the best..."

"I really am okay." Akiri assured. "Now throw me in, Maka, Soul. Lucy, I wish you the best of luck."

Amber allowed herself to giggle once more at Akiri's Japanese pronunciation. Maka and Soul gently swung Akiri, like rocking a crib, and dropped the Japanese girl over the edge.

Akiri's limp body flipped a few times, and she landed face-first in the lava. Not an utterance was made. Her body sunk into the river of death, disappearing beneath the thick molten rock.

Maka embraced Soul in a tight hug, crying out. Soul patted her on the back, holding back what he could. His face was as sad as hers, only he had more of an emotional wall that he could build up in times like this that Maka seemed to lack.

Amber joined in the hug, and Soul comforted the wailing girls.

"At least she had a choice of her last moments." Soul sighed, looking up towards the sky. "The others... Oliver and Alyssa... They didn't have such choices."

After quite some time walking through the dark tunnel, Sam and Kid saw a light at the end. Sam immediately rushed over to the exit, but something caught Kid's eyes.

You see, about half way through the tunnel, the river system crossed over to the other side, the boys hopping over what was there of it, Sam doing so with some assistance due to his heavy armor weighing him down.

The stream went in the same direction they were headed, and as more light entered the tunnel from ahead, and a bit before in the darkness, the boys could see steam swirling around the cold river. What confused Kid about this steam, was not only that the water was cold, but the steam tended to drift inward unlike the water that went in their direction. The steam traveled in, not out.

So when they reached the end, Kid was mesmerized by the giant hole to the side of the exit that the flowing water emptied into and steam puffed out of.

The steam wasn't too hot back there, but over here by the source, it was warm and wet. More condensed.

Sam noticed the giant hole, but didn't bother with it. "What are you up to?" he asked as Kid approached it carefully.

"Sam," Kid started. "I know this sounds crazy, but I'm going to take a look down there if you don't mind."

"Why?" Sam's eyes widened. The exit opened up to thick forest, tropical-like plants of all kinds surrounding the area. "You could get yourself killed and then what? I'm just left alone?"

"Wait there." Kid pointed to where Sam stood, Liz and Patty right in his hands. "If I am not back in... two hours, you can leave and assume the worst. If I come back, we're on our way. It's just... I sense something... something different. I need to check it out. I really do."

"Fine." Sam leaned against the cave wall, looking out tiredly to the forest. "What if I'm attacked?"

"You have the suit of armor." Kid grinned to the ginger. "If you have it, use it. Who knows what nifty things the soldiers have inside."

Kid summoned Beelzebub, hopping onto it. "Girls, I'm going to be very careful. If you find anything suspicious, you know to tell me."

"I know." Liz wasn't too excited about this, but didn't complain. "Let's go."

"Yes!" Patty giggled as Kid flew over the large hole and slowly made a long, dark descent down. "This is gonna be so fun! Adventure! Adventure!" she cheered.

Let it be, that the world splits beneath your feet. Let it be, that the ground below you shakes. Let it be, that you fall into darkness. Let it be, that you climb into light.


	43. Chapter 43

Tsubaki was still adjusting to the metal world around her in a drunken-like state. At first, everything was so sudden and shocking that she could not get the hang of it all. She couldn't wrap her mind around what was going on. Eventually she got an idea of her purpose there in that maid costume, and why the soldiers would call her to their rooms. Eventually she could conclude why she wasn't made a slave like others she had heard of, and this is because she was a beautiful young girl. Since the beginning, in her free time aside from eating, using the toilet, washing up, and such, she had spent her time laying on a cold, hard metal bed. That, or she paced the gray floor back and forth, once in a while grabbing at the bars that blocked her from the rest of the facility. Wherever she was, in this case.

Today she had started off laying still on the metal bed, alone and cold. And then to her dreadful mind, the cell bars opened and she heard footsteps come towards her.

_That man is going to take me again... _She covered her face with her arms. _As if he hasn't used me enough already... Yesterday, and the day before that, and that, and that..._

But to her startling surprise, the cell door shut again without her body being moved or her being yelled at to get up and come with. Drearily, she sat up, eyes squinting in the dimmed white light that offered her little sight to see. In front of her, stood a small girl. The girl was likely eight or nine, maybe younger. She had long, straight, red hair, green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She too, wore a maid costume, but hers was smaller and more child-friendly, still too sexy for her age either way. Her face was reddened and sparkled with tears, and Tsubaki didn't have to listen hard to hear the faint whimpering the little girl emitted.

"Who... What... What's your name?" Tsubaki asked softly, patting the bedside to her left. "My name is... _Tsubaki_." She had to, sadly, think of her name. Her memory was a bit off since all that happened. It was a way of helping her numb the bad, forgetting things, but in response, she had trouble remembering little things like her name. She hadn't forgotten her friends, though. After all, they were the reason she was here. She wanted to protect them, and to do so, she didn't call out for help.

The sniffling girl replied "Angie." and she gingerly took a seat next to Tsubaki, her hands fiddling with each other nervously against her stomach. She trembled frightfully. "Tsubaki... That's a pretty name."

Tsubaki stiffened. It sickened her that a little girl was in the same kind of situation as she was, judging by the dress. "Thank you. As is Angie... How old are you?"

"I'm guessing_ you're_ old." Angie stopped sniffling and wiped her eyes, drying her face. "I'm nine."

Tsubaki stifled a cry of anguish. Inside she boiled like hot water. "That's terrible." she bit her lip.

"What will they do to me?" Angie turned to Tsubaki with terrified eyes wide, and Tsubaki looked at her dismally.

She replied "They will do bad things we can't control. But I am here for you if you need comfort, which I am sure you will."

Angie wrapped her arms around Tsubaki, and Tsubaki did the same. Tsubaki did not wish to let go, because even though it burned a hole in her heart to see such a young girl in this mess, this was the only kind company she had gotten in weeks. After all, time sure did fly. She wasn't sure how long she had been there, but she knew it had been a while.

Maka and Soul didn't release each others hand. They held hands as they walked sorrowfully along the boarder of the upturned land, squeezing tight. Amber followed behind, brushing her hand along the lifted land's grass.

Amber kept from crying by taking deep breaths. Akiri was a good friend. When she had mentioned leaving Akiri behind, she knew Akiri was thinking the same thing and knew she was no longer going to be of help and would just hold them back. Really, it sickened Amber that _she_ herself had said it. Yet again, the only other person who would think of leaving her behind would likely be Akiri herself. At least she'd say it, unlike Maka and Soul who were too bent on friendship to realize the direness of the situation and have the nerve to speak up about it. In a way, this made Amber feel alone. Akiri had been good to her, and maybe there could have been hope. But she also felt good for one important thing: They wouldn't have been able to keep Akiri around, due to Akiri being unable to walk. Akiri knew this, and didn't want to be left alone. Chances are, Akiri hadn't taken into offense of what Amber said, and knew it true. And if Amber had not said it, Maka may not have started fighting. And that said, if the girls hadn't fought, something Akiri truly despises, Akiri would have had no reason to stab herself. And in any case, being thrown into a volcano is much better than being eaten alive, which could have easily been a likely outcome had the fight not started, had Amber not have spoken up.

Though she felt guilty, the idea of Akiri living on crippled in a world of who-knows-what was also too much too bear, let alone think about. Even though Amber had her broken leg, and walked in a splint, her leg can heal and either way she can be of use. It is a sad fact to say, that in Akiri's case, this was not so.

Maka festered to herself, anger bubbling inside. Quietly, so that Amber could not hear, she snarled to Soul "If Amber hadn't said all that, Akiri would still be alive."

"You can't say that." Soul whispered back, giving Maka's hand a squeeze. "Akiri could have died either way. Like I said back there, she still had a choice of the way she died. Oliver, Alyssa, did not. And besides, she would have went on crippled. What kind of life is that, considering the way things seem to be headed?"

"If Akiri was still alive and crippled, it would be better than her being dead."

Soul stopped walking, along with the girls. Amber furrowed her brows, paying close attention to the two in front of her. Maka's face was red with rage. Soul stared at her dead in the eyes. He spoke steadily, to make sure Maka heard him clearly. "That is a selfish thing to say, that it would be better if she was alive and crippled. If she was alive now, we would be carrying her. Don't you know what it's like to have people care for you and worry about you? You'd be surprised of how much stress that can actually cause. It's hard to explain, that guilty feeling you get when you can't help yourself. Think of back when I was first infected with Black Blood. I hated being cared for in that hospital bed. I hated having to weigh others down with my own issues."

Maka was speechless. It took her a minute of silence to really realize his point. And when she did realize it, she couldn't believe herself. Even though Akiri had not wanted to be left behind, was there really much of a choice in the first place? Maka had said they wouldn't leave her, but Akiri herself knew she wouldn't be able to do anything but weigh them down. _Akiri did make a choice in the end, and that choice was suicide. What if that had been Tsubaki? Would we leave Tsubaki behind? I doubt it... But Akiri did kill herself. She stopped our fighting. I'm not sure if this is an act of bravery or cowardice... Either way, she made that decision. _Maka thought in turmoil _It isn't right what we did, but I guess it had to be done... Would we have left Crona?... Well... technically we did. What about Keira? Or L? Or Patty? Why would we treat one different than the other? And what about Tsubaki when she's... Wherever she is, it can't be good! _

Maka stepped forward to Soul, her red color subsiding. "I... I see what you mean. She would have to deal with the guilt of not being able to care for herself, and that guilt would be a constant, just like the paralysis." Maka thought more about Soul that any of her friends, aside from Crona, and really, it never crossed her mind that when he was in the hospital bed, he felt guilty having people help him. He felt guilt for not being able to carry his own weight due to his condition at the time. It was a guilt Maka tried to relate to at this time, and could not. She tried to name a time where she was watched over and felt guilty about it, but couldn't... Well, there was that one time when she couldn't move for a few days and was in the hospital, and all her friends were there with her and caring for and about her. She didn't feel guilty, though, although she didn't favor the attention. Things she usually felt guilty about was being weak, and putting pressure on Soul when she needed to get things done herself. This usually didn't occur, but when it did, it hit her hard.

It's like those memories that you regret, and forget about on purpose, and then suddenly come back, and you just can't stop thinking about it. Maka had felt that then, but never really felt guilty when being cared for. She felt the kindness of her friends, but not herself pressing down on them. Perhaps because they helped her voluntarily. But didn't she help Soul voluntarily? Why would he be guilty? There is always the different thought process, and anyone can act different in situations where they had to be cared for. It's that feeling Maka can't truly grasp. That feeling of knowing your strength and not being able to use it. That feeling of helplessness and that feeling you get when one is too kind. She couldn't grasp that feeling. She couldn't grasp the concept that what could come out of the given care can be guilt. To her, it didn't make any sense.

None the less, she excepted that she couldn't grasp it. She understood what he was getting at, and smiled sadly, saying "I don't know the feeling of that guilt you mention. I do know what you are getting at, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't understand that right away. I'm more about books than emotion. But, honestly, I guess it really depends on who's talking and the situation. Amber," she turned to the black-haired girl and sighed "I'm sorry that I flipped out."

"I'm not sorry that you did." Amber spoke up quietly. "If you hadn't started that argument, we wouldn't be here right now and you would have never made this realization."

"True." Soul laughed, watching Maka closely. His eyes were wide, a feeling growing that he couldn't explain in words. This feeling grew to Maka, and it made him want to protect her and comfort her and be there for her. The mornings events were falling for his life in scythe form and having her catch him. There is a trust there that shan't be broken or played with. There is a need for care and protection that shan't be thwarted or distracted. He wasn't sure what to call this feeling, but he knew a few words to describe it. Never had he felt this connection so strong, never such a need to protect, and never such a need to be around. "Aside from all this," he stretched his arms out and Maka turned to him, her bright green eyes glazed over with relief and dried tears. "I do believe we should at least try to find the others. If not, let's head to California."

"Yes!" Amber bounced up, nearly falling due to her broken leg. "I must say hi to the Dunkleosteus!"

Maka smiled contently. It had been quite a while since she could do so.

Meanwhile, Keira and Blackstar climbed over the skewed moss and grass covered rocks and earth. "Do you think anyone is nearby?" Keira asked, placing her hand against the soft green moss of a rock and rubbing it along gently.

"I don't know." the ninja answered with a shrug. "That all happened so fast and hard that they could have been launched miles away for all I know."

"It's amazing that this entire section of land can simply be turned over and pushed up and cave down like that. Whatever caused this is surely strong."

"Of course. With all these soldiers, these quakes are obviously not natural occurrences."

"Nope. Not in the slightest." Keira stepped up, hopping over a dark opening that lead back under all the destruction. "If this is natural, so is a flying pig."

"It just... isn't right. I feel like something is trying to separate all of us." Blackstar admitted, climbing over a huge upturned slab. "It's like the world is trying to kill us."

"Maybe it is." Keira frowned "And we are just dust in the wind, and nothing really matters."

"Should I take what you said literally?"

"It's your choice to do so or not. How do you take it?"

Blackstar thought for a moment, and answered "Literally."

Keira grinned, a rarity, especially around Blackstar. "As you say it, it might as well be."

Blackstar laughed obnoxiously, brushing off his pants and standing at the top of a stone slab. "I, the mighty Blackstar, will not be brought down to the slightest grain of sand or speck of dust! I am the biggest man, and the biggest star! I am greater than God, and will always be! I am the most significant being in existence!"

Keira chuckled, another rare occurrence. "Indeed. You may not know this, but even with your big ego, the smallest speck of dust has its own gravity."

Blackstar didn't get this idea at first, and it would be a while before he truly could grasp its meaning.

Around this time, Kid had made his soggy descent into the deep, dark cave. Large roars echoed in the stone walls and bounced in Kid's head. The mist smelled strongly of rotten egg, similar to that of the fog rising up out of Yellowstone pools and geysers. Also, the misty fog grew dense, and hot. "What's down there?" he asked himself, taking in gentle breaths.

"I don't like the sound of that." Liz shivered in gun form, covering her mouth with her hands. "I don't like it one bit."

Patty was in awe at the roars and asked "What's that noise, Kiddo?"

Kid answered "I'm not sure, but it looks like we're about to find out."

They entered a large opening after reaching the end of the long, pitch-black tunnel. The entire ovular area glowed a light blue from the giant pool of water below. The actual water glowed a light blue, and the nasty smelling steam was coming from it. Kid moved closer to the top right side of the cave. His eyes widened as his immaculate eyesight focused in on the boiling, bubbling water.

Inside the water, just beneath it, a gigantic prehistoric water beast thrashed and splashed in the steaming water. The water, as Kid could tell with no problem, was acidic. "This water is just like that at Yellowstone. It's toxic. Girls, try to cover your noses and mouths. I'm not sure how the steam will effect you, in weapon form or not."

Liz asked with worry "What about you, Kid?"

"I don't know." he shrugged, not really caring. "I am Shinigami. I doubt this will have any severe, let alone lasting effects on my body, none the less my mentality."

"_True_." Liz shrugged as well, knowing his logic accurate and most likely right.

Kid flew up as waves of water splashed up. In some ways, it pained him to know that the huge beast wasn't dying a normal death, and was actually being boiled alive. The creature had a long neck and large body, big smooth fins, tail, and somewhat large head. Its thrashing became ever the clearer and its rough, as Kid assumed, flesh began melting off its body. Some of the water splashed up really high, and got Kid in the ankles. He snapped back from the sudden amount of pain and nearly fell off of Beelzebub. "Whoa!" he steadied himself. His feet and ankles suddenly became wet. Not from the acidic water kind of wet. Like... inside... he was wet. Gently, he leaned over and examined the damage.

Just as he suspected, his skin had been boiled by the sudden impact. His skin was literally crinkling up and just... died. The soft skin was now wrinkly, tender, and whitish. He rubbed his hand along, holding both the girls in his other hand, and lightly tugged on the skin. Again, not to his surprise, the skin was loose from the rest of his flesh. He had been thoroughly boiled, ankle-down.

"What's wrong?" Liz asked, seeing his thinking expression.

"It's just..." he leaned back up, straight and tall, watching the dying beast. "This water is really dangerous. I think it is best that we leave right away. I got splashed, and my skin is peeling. I'll either have to wait for the new skin to form and this dead stuff to fall of, or peel it off with the nerves still alive when we get back up."

"Hm... Whatever floats your boat." Liz yawned. "I'll gladly get out of here. That monster is freaking me out with all of its roaring."

"You know," Kid frowned, feeling his own self, thinking about what he represented. "That beast is being boiled to death. I think if you were in its position, you'd be crying out just as loud."

"What a nice thing to say." Liz said back sarcastically. "Why are you sounding so sad? After all, it is something that shouldn't be around anymore."

"Well, you may not see it as I do, and I know you don't." Kid stared off, observing the wave patterns reflected from the glowing water onto the damp rock wall. "I am the embodiment of death. I may be accepting to what death is and all, but it hurts to see something that is innocent die such a horrid death. I'm not even sure how it could have gotten in here, there being no exits or entrances."

"Maybe its fossils were in here beneath the hot water and it was recently revived." Liz suggested.

Kid nodded in agreement to that idea. "That is quite possible, considering how land can form over time. Let's go back up, Sam's probably impatient as ever and two hours is more like thirty minutes for him."

He made his way up and when he reached the top, Sam stood there wearing an empty glare.

"What's wrong?" Kid asked, confused from the empty look Sam gave him.

"It's just that..." Sam approached Kid, placing a cold, armored hand around the shinigami's neck. There was a look of madness. Crazy, and murderous. It was the same look Blackstar would get when the ninja tried to kill him.

Was Sam afflicted with the same thing? Kid gasped out, still holding Liz and Patty in his hands, "Who told you to do this?"

Sam smirked, the same crazed expression. He tightened his grasp. "They did. The ones that talk to me and tell me everything. They'll give me everything I desire. They will give it all to me. And all I have to do is bring them to you."

"Please..." Kid wanted answers. He was yet to explain to Liz and Patty where the major point was that his father, and everything was at. Dead center of the USA. He needed answers now. If he had answers, maybe he could help Blackstar if he ever needed to. "What do they call themselves?" Kid wasn't too afraid of what could happen, since Liz and Patty were there and he wasn't alone. Liz or Patty could easily just transform into human form and shoot Sam with the other, none fatally, hopefully. There's a good perk to having two weapons who can meister one another.

"I don't see why you want to know." Sam laughed insanely. "They say they're the IHK! Goodnight, little death god. I hope you're not afraid of nightmares!"

There was a brief moment where Kid felt the girls leave his hands in transformation. Something in the hand's armor caused a large voltage of electricity to flow through him, he felt immense pain, and everything went black.


	44. Chapter 44

Liz grabbed Patty, taking her sister pistol and aiming it at the insane Sam. "What the hell! Why did you do that?" she snarled.

The insane look in Sam's eyes didn't fade, and he laughed "I'll get things if I do, so I did." He approached Kid's laying body. The shinigami had landed on his right side, the top of his head facing the exit.

Liz shot at Sam's armor, and Sam was thrown back a few feet by the force of impact. She didn't want to kill him, and could tell easily this wasn't the ginger she had met.

"Get away from him!" Liz yelled, frustrated. Patty transformed back in human form and had her arms around Sam in no time, slamming him to the ground. It appeared he was unconscious, and she backed away from his limp body. She did hit his head against the cave wall pretty hard.

Liz and Patty walked over to Sam's body and Liz instructed "Patty, get Kid up. Meet me right out here, and do it fast." Liz pulled Sam's body out the exit and trusted Patty to as told. Liz couldn't wrap her mind around what happened. _Why did he attack him like that? It's not... _she wondered with discomfort _This isn't normal. This isn't like before. Has Sam changed?... Or has something changed Sam? It looked as if Kid wasn't surprised. Has this happened before to him? Should I be worried? Of course I should be worried! But... What exactly should I worry about? Kid? Sam? How about this whole screwed up situation! Everything is weird and wrong and messed up! I wish I was cuddled up in the mansion back in Death City. _Her thoughts ended up more in wishful thinking and daydreaming._ I wish Patty was still in my arms and we drink hot coco and watch horror movies or anything. Maybe a glass of cold tea, or Cola. And as Patty and I are in our bed or on the sofa, Kid's sitting at the opposite end and reading a book with a cup of warm milk in his hands. And we can be in our pajamas and it can be snowing or summer or anything! I just wanna go back. And when Patty's tired, I can tuck her in with Kid and we can go back downstairs and talk over some tea and a sandwich or something. We talk about the future or our plans for the next day. Maybe we discuss the coming test. And then when I'm tired, Kid can tuck me in. I don't ask for it, but he does it gladly, to make sure Patty and I are safe and warm and happy._

Patty came outside, Kid walking out with her. He seemed unfazed after what happened. Patty was bubbly as ever.

Liz had laid Sam by a tree, and night was approaching fast. "Kid, are you alright?"

Kid nodded and smiled weakly "I am fine, Liz. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Liz pressed on, not fully believing her meister. His smile seemed forced.

Kid laughed uneasily, stepping back slightly. "I am sure, Liz. It was just a little shock. Nothing serious. Especially not serious for a shinigami."

"Right." Liz gave up, though unhappy with Kid's answer.

That dark night, Patty poked Sam's unconscious body as Kid and Liz sat next to each other, arms pressed against one another.

Patty cocked her head as she poked Sam. "I wonder if we hit his head too hard."

"Why, Patty? We did throw him against the wall. Is something wrong?" Liz asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Eh?" Kid sat up straight, watching Patty's usual goofiness and childishness. "It sure has been some time since he's woken up."

Liz stood up and walked over to Sam. Patty backed away and sat by Kid. Kid and Patty loomed over Liz as the eldest in the party felt Sam's heartbeat.

His heartbeat was oddly slow... In fact, it was _too_ slow. "Oh dear..." she mumbled "This is not good."

"What's wrong with him?" Kid and Patty asked simultaneously.

Liz turned to them, slightly paled. She swallowed, and then answered "I have seen this a few times growing up in the streets. I'm not sure about immediate unconsciousness, but you shouldn't go to sleep after hitting your head really hard because you could have a concussion and-"

"You think he is in a coma." Kid interrupted, semi-rudely. It's not like the interruption was intentionally or even accidentally rude, it's just never really polite to interrupt.

"Yes." Liz nodded slowly. "His heartbeat is too slow and it's been so long since he was knocked unconscious."

"I see." Kid turned away from the girls, in thought. When he turned back, his face was mixed with confusion and slight distraught. "Girls, when do you think he'll wake up?"

Patty jumped and replied "It can be any number of days! With these things, you never know."

Liz nodded in agreement.

Kid hummed, thinking, and spoke smoothly "We must get to the others, or anyone good, some time soon. What will we do with Sam? We can carry him if he has not waken up by then, but that would be troublesome."

"We could always just leave him behind." Liz bit her lip. "If he's in a long lasting coma, he'll die eventually due to dehydration or starvation. The dehydration would get him first. We don't have any IV's and we can't give him water from what I am aware of. Or... can we?"

"We need to _find_ water to drink any." Kid stated, matter-of-fact set of mind. "If this is so, is there anything else we could do if he does not wake up by tomorrow or the day after? We cannot stay here forever and I do not want to lose another human. I am shinigami..." The uneasiness in his tone of voice was easily heard now. "If I cannot protect and keep alive a single soul... I don't know what kind of death god I am."

"Now, now, Kid." Liz patted him on the back, and then hugged him. He pushed her away, clearly not wanting any comfort. "Come on, Kid! You're a great shinigami. Things are just rough right now. Things can get better-"

"No, Liz." Kid shook his head, closing his eyes tight. "It's just... I'm going on a little walk."

"In the dark?" Patty asked, worried like her sister.

"Yes, in the dark." Kid walked off into the woods, leaving Liz and Patty to wonder why. Liz could guess, as could Patty. Both had pretty accurate guesses, although not perfectly on the target.

Soul and Maka laid down to go to sleep, Amber close to them.

"Anything to talk about?" Maka asked, rubbing her eyes.

Soul said "Not really."

Amber looked over to the two and spoke quietly "I'm worried the ground is going to split again."

"How come? I'm surprised you're not used to it." Soul commented with a slight grin.

Amber shrugged, sitting up. "It's just... I can _feel_ it. Even though I'm just guessing, it can't hurt to stick close together."

"True." Soul nodded his head. "Why don't you come over here?"

"This is close enough." Amber assured. "I was just saying how I felt. Don't worry about it."

Keira and Blackstar walked along the forest and decided it was about time they went to sleep.

Keira laid down by a shrub, and Blackstar laid down on a tree branch.

The ninja dreamed of his friends, and seeing them again. Patty entered his mind and he let out a sigh, even in his sleep. He missed her so much! And then Tsubaki entered his mind, and he dreamed of old battles they had fought. He dreamed about many things, and Asura ended up popping in when Tsubaki did.

He hated madness, and Blackstar was worried... Worried about how madness could effect people now. No one was there to stop new kishins from forming. That would be a big issue... Or would it not?

Kid got back to see Liz and Patty asleep, cuddled up with each other. He let out a sigh and wished he hadn't left. Walking through the woods, he heard the flapping of feathery wings behind him. He thought his eyes were bleeding for a moment, and realized it was his imagination, just like the wings flapping.

Kid had to remind himself that the only true failure is giving up or not trying. He was trying, and yet it seemed that he was failing. He was failing in keeping his hopes up. He was failing at keeping his friends safe. He was failing... and it's never good to fail in times when you need to win.

He laid down next to Liz and hoped, truly, and deeply, that he would see his father again. That he wouldn't fail as a shinigami. That his life wouldn't be a waste along with his leadership.

He wished, like anyone else would, that the world was back to normal.

In times of trouble, you've got to keep your head held high. Or like the flowers, grasses, and trees, all hopes will surely die.


End file.
